# strain at a gnat

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/strain-at-a-gnat
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

to make a mountain out of a molehill

## Examples

- Don't strain at a gnat when the big problem is obvious.
- You focus on tiny typos in the report while ignoring the fact that the data is completely wrong; you really strain at a gnat.
- It is frustrating to watch the committee strain at a gnat regarding minor formatting rules while the entire project budget remains dangerously unapproved.

## Origin

From the King James Version of the Bible, verse Matthew 23:24.

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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.