strain at a gnat
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Meaning · English
To be overly concerned with a small problem
Literally: to strain out a small insect
Where it’s used:
Used
Widespread English
Examples
He's straining at a gnat with his strict diet, but ignoring the bigger health issues
AI-drafted example auto-approved by rule (illustrative, not a corpus attestation)
Sources & notes
Listed in Wiktionary’s “English idioms” category (retrieved 2026-07-29); definition pending editorial review. Definition drafted by AI (@cf/meta/llama-3.3-70b-instruct-fp8-fast) and auto-approved by rule on 2026-07-31; pending editor spot-check.
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Common questions
What does “strain at a gnat” mean?
To be overly concerned with a small problem Literally: to strain out a small insect
Is “strain at a gnat” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.
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