one's bark is worse than one's bite
One acts in a threatening way but is relatively harmless.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Don't worry about him; his bark is worse than his bite.”
“My boss yells when he is stressed, but his bark is worse than his bite and he is actually very kind.”
“Although the professor seemed intimidating and prone to sharp criticism, his students eventually learned that his bark was worse than his bite.”
- 01
abound in one's own sense
To follow one’s own inclinations and opinions.
- 02
ace up one's sleeve
A surprise advantage of which others are not aware.
- 03
act one's age
To behave in a manner appropriate to one's age.
- 04
act one's age, not one's shoe size
Synonym of act one's age (“to behave in a mature manner; to avoid being childish”).
- 05
afraid of one's own shadow
Exceptionally timid.
- 06
air one's dirty laundry in public
To reveal one's sordid secrets to the public.
- 07
air one's dirty linen in public
Synonym of air one's dirty laundry in public.
- 08
albatross around one's neck
A characteristic, possession, associate, or previous deed that hinders one's ability to succeed.
Last updated August 10, 2026