not to put too fine a point on it
idiom
—used in an ironic way to introduce a very strong and usually critical statement
Not to put too fine a point on it, (but) his suggestions have been worthless.
Examples of not to put too fine a point on it in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In the gambling business, the folks who generate the profits for the house are — not to put too fine a point on it — the losers.
—
The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 3 Sep. 2025
The problem, not to put too fine a point on it, is that The Brutalist forsakes tonal subtlety for a full plunge into Southern or Mid-Atlantic Gothic, with the Van Burens becoming almost literally vampiric.
—Anthony Paletta, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 7 Feb. 2025
Otherwise—and not to put too fine a point on it—he’d be dead.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024
Given that reciting bits of Holy Grail is practically an NCAA sport, a stage adaptation would seem to be headed straight for the danger zone — the place where a play becomes, not to put too fine a point on it, a dead parrot.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 16 Nov. 2023
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 3 Sep. 2025
The problem, not to put too fine a point on it, is that The Brutalist forsakes tonal subtlety for a full plunge into Southern or Mid-Atlantic Gothic, with the Van Burens becoming almost literally vampiric.
—Anthony Paletta, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 7 Feb. 2025
Otherwise—and not to put too fine a point on it—he’d be dead.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024
Given that reciting bits of Holy Grail is practically an NCAA sport, a stage adaptation would seem to be headed straight for the danger zone — the place where a play becomes, not to put too fine a point on it, a dead parrot.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 16 Nov. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Not to put too fine a point on it.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/not%20to%20put%20too%20fine%20a%20point%20on%20it. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share