English Reference
Idiom idiom

nip in the bud

Meaning

To stop something at an early stage.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Examples
SIMPLE

“We should nip this problem in the bud right now.”

CONTEXTUAL

“The manager decided to nip the conflict in the bud before it caused trouble for the whole team.”

COMPLEX

“By addressing the initial signs of dissent, the leader managed to nip the potential rebellion in the bud before it could gain any real momentum.”

Anchors to
Related idioms4entries
  1. 01

    nip and tuck

    So evenly matched that the advantage shifts from one to the other, and the outcome is uncertain.

  2. 02

    nip at

    To sip a drink (usually alcoholic) in small amounts.

  3. 03

    story, bud

    Used as a greeting; How are you?, What's up?

  4. 04

    what's the story, bud

    Used as a greeting; How are you?, What's up?

Last updated August 10, 2026