miss the woods for the trees: meaning & examples

Meanings:

• 1.

  Generalneutralinformal
  • To focus on minor or immediate details and thereby fail to see the larger situation, overall pattern, or main point.

  Examples

  Beta

  • Don’t miss the woods for the trees by focusing only on small errors in the design.

    Don’t miss the woods for the trees by focusing only on small errors in the design.

  • He missed the woods for the trees by getting caught up in petty disagreements during the project.

    He missed the woods for the trees by getting caught up in petty disagreements during the project.

  • The manager reminded everyone not to miss the woods for the trees and to prioritize the company’s long-term goals.

    The manager reminded everyone not to miss the woods for the trees and to prioritize the company’s long-term goals.