put a band-aid on a bullet wound
To inadequately treat a serious situation.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Giving him a small loan is like putting a band-aid on a bullet wound.”
“The company's plan to fix the massive budget deficit by cutting office supplies is just putting a band-aid on a bullet wound.”
“By offering only minor policy adjustments to address the systemic collapse of the industry, the government is effectively putting a band-aid on a bullet wound.”
- 01
band-aid solution
A temporary or inadequate solution.
- 02
bite the bullet
To accept a negative aspect of a situation in order to proceed.
- 03
dodge a bullet
To have a narrow escape; to avoid injury, disaster, or some other undesirable situation.
- 04
get the bullet
To be fired from one's employment.
- 05
lick one's wounds
To withdraw temporarily while recovering from a defeat; to recuperate.
- 06
lipstick on a pig
To make superficial or cosmetic changes to something in a doomed attempt to disguise its fundamental flaws.
- 07
magic bullet
A simple remedy for a difficult or complex problem, especially a cure for a disease.
- 08
not to put too fine a point on it
Used to apologize for a possibly impolite statement one is making; to put it bluntly; to express it in plain terms.
Last updated August 10, 2026