miss the forest for the trees
Alternative form of cannot see the forest for the trees.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“You focus too much on details and miss the forest for the trees.”
“By worrying only about the color of the walls, you miss the forest for the trees regarding the house's structural problems.”
“The manager became so obsessed with minor administrative errors that he missed the forest for the trees, failing to notice the company's declining market share.”
- 01
bark up the wrong tree
To take the wrong approach to a situation; to follow a false lead; to attempt to solve a problem using mistaken assumptions about its true nature.
- 02
charm the birds from the trees
To behave in a very charming manner.
- 03
Christmas tree bill
A bill consisting of many riders that attracts many, often unrelated, floor amendments, which may provide special benefits to various groups or interests.
- 04
dead tree edition
The physical, printed version of a publication.
- 05
fall out of the ugly tree and hit every branch
To become extremely unattractive.
- 06
fruit of the poisonous tree
Evidence that has been obtained as the result of an illegal act on the part of law enforcement personnel (such as an unlawful warrantless search, or continued questioning of a witness who has invoked the right of counsel), and which is therefore excluded from being admitted as evidence in a trial.
- 07
give something a miss
To forgo something.
- 08
go climb a tree
Go away; a rude dismissal.
Last updated August 10, 2026