fly in the ointment

Meaning

1. 1phrasecountable

   a small problem or detail that spoils an otherwise good situation

   Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a fly in the ointment' or 'the fly in the ointment'. It is usually singular.

   Patterns

   • the fly in the ointment
   • a fly in the ointment
   • the fly in the ointment is that ...

   The hotel was perfect, but the fly in the ointment was the noisy construction next door.

   We had a great plan; the only fly in the ointment was the lack of funding.

   Her new job seemed ideal—the fly in the ointment being the long commute.

Common combinations

the only fly in the ointment

The only fly in the ointment was that we had to leave early.

a fly in the ointment for someone

The bad weather was a fly in the ointment for the organizers.

the fly in the ointment is that ...

The fly in the ointment is that we don't have enough time.

Synonyms and how they differ

snag

A snag is a general small problem; 'fly in the ointment' emphasizes that it spoils something that was otherwise very good.

drawback

A drawback is a disadvantage that makes something less attractive; it is more neutral and less idiomatic than 'fly in the ointment'.

catch

A catch is a hidden problem in an offer or plan; it often implies trickery, while 'fly in the ointment' is simply an annoying detail.

Commonly confused: fly in the ointment or fly on the wall?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “fly in the ointment”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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