# have other fish to fry

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/have-other-fish-to-fry
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To have more important things to do.

## Examples

- I cannot help you now because I have other fish to fry.
- She declined the invitation to the meeting, explaining that she had other fish to fry regarding her current project.
- Although the committee insisted on discussing minor administrative details, the director dismissed them, noting that the company had other fish to fry in the competitive global market.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.