# horse of a different color

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/horse-of-a-different-color
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

An unrelated or only incidentally related matter with distinctly different significance.

## Examples

- That is a horse of a different color.
- We can fix the broken window, but the leaking roof is a horse of a different color.
- While the initial proposal focused on minor budget adjustments, the sudden demand for a complete structural overhaul is a horse of a different color entirely.

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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.