Meaning & use
be the bigger person
To respond to a conflict with maturity and grace, rather than reacting pettily or seeking revenge.
See it in a sentence
Instead of arguing back, she decided to be the bigger person and simply apologized.
He was the bigger person when he congratulated his rival on winning the award.
A note on using this word
The idiom is usually 'the bigger person,' comparing maturity, not physical size.
Words with a similar meaning
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