like shooting fish in a barrel
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Extremely easy; sometimes with a connotation of triumph but at other times with a connotation of being meaningless and unsatisfying.
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
Opponents contend that the lumbering creatures are so easy to shoot that a moose hunt is a slaughter, not a sport. "It's like shooting fish in a barrel," they say.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org). Figurative class: Simile (PIE-English corpus, CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-31).
Common questions
What does “like shooting fish in a barrel” mean?
Extremely easy; sometimes with a connotation of triumph but at other times with a connotation of being meaningless and unsatisfying.
Is “like shooting fish in a barrel” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.