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Glite Dictionary
to make a big thing out of

to make a big thing out of

2 5.8
Treat something as more important or serious than it is
  • phrasal verb
  • Informal
translation icon : dar demasiada importancia a
  • They'd dredged up some old footage of the Good Citizen for Youth Award and made a big thing out of the irony of the situation, making Youth Services and a lot of other valuable organizations look foolish.
  • trying to make a big thing out of

Examples

  • She always tends to make a big thing out of small issues, making them seem much worse.

  • Don't make a big thing out of it.

    Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

  • Is your boss gonna make a big thing out of this?

    The Seduction of Joe Tynan (1979)

  • Well, let's not make a big thing out of it, okay?

    Fight Club (1999)

  • Make a big thing out of it.

    Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

  • Mama, you know, you're making a big thing out of nothing.

    King of the Gypsies (1978)

  • For someone who didn't like Cee Cee, Aunt Neetie sure made a big thing out of the fact that she not only knew her but that her great-niece Nina lived with her in Hollywood.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • I think you are making a big thing out of this minor mistake.

  • Let's not make a big thing out of our disagreement; it was just a misunderstanding.

Synonyms

to exaggerate
vsto make a big thing out of
258 3.1

To say something is larger, better, or worse than it really is

focuses specifically on treating importance as greater than reality
to overstate
vsto make a big thing out of
70 4.2

Say something is bigger or more important than it really is

is about treating importance as greater, not just factual size
to inflate
vsto make a big thing out of
47 4.2

To make something seem more important or bigger than it really is

focuses on inflating perceived importance rather than literal size only
to magnify
vsto make a big thing out of
34 4.6

To make something seem more important or serious than it really is

casts the same exaggeration specifically as inflated importance
to expand
vsto make a big thing out of
20 3.4

To make something seem larger or more important than it is

narrows this to treating importance as exaggerated rather than factual growth
to overplay
vsto make a big thing out of
13 4.6

Make something seem more important or serious than it really is

frames the same idea as treating importance as too large
to amplify
vsto make a big thing out of
9 5.6

To make something seem bigger or more important than it really is

is the same action described as treating importance as too great
to play up
vsto make a big thing out of
9 4.3

Make something seem more important or impressive than it is

is about treating importance as greater rather than simple emphasis
to overemphasize
vsto make a big thing out of
8 5.5

Treat something as more important than it should be

is about overstating importance rather than merely focusing attention
to aggrandize
vsto make a big thing out of
  • Formal
5 9.5

To make something seem more important by adding details or exaggerating

is about increasing perceived importance rather than adding mere detail
to blow up
vsto make a big thing out of
4 3.7

To make something seem more important or bigger than it is

means the general act of making importance seem larger
to make a mountain out of a molehill
vsto make a big thing out of
  • Informal
3 6.4

Treat a small problem as if it were very serious

is a general exaggeration rather than extreme dramatizing
to overinflate
vsto make a big thing out of
1 5.1

Make something seem much bigger or more important than it is

is the general act of treating importance as greater than reality
to overblow
vsto make a big thing out of
1 5.9

To make something seem more important or serious than it is

is the broader idea of treating things as more important than true
to make a meal of
vsto make a big thing out of
  • Informal
1 8.3

Act as if something is much more difficult or important than it is

focuses specifically on inflating importance rather than complicating tasks
to hyperbolize
vsto make a big thing out of
  • US
1 7.9

To make something seem much bigger or more important than it really is

is a broader, less extreme way of increasing perceived importance
to overdraw
vsto make a big thing out of
6.6

Describe something as more important or impressive than it really is

means treating importance as too large rather than neutral description

Antonyms

to downplay
59 5.3

Show something as less important or serious than it is

to understate
18 5.2

To make something seem smaller or less important than it really is

How Important

to make a big thing out of
  • Informal
2 5.8

Surface Forms

make a big thing out of infinitive
made a big thing out of past
made a big thing out of past participle
making a big thing out of present participle
makes a big thing out of third person singular

Morphology

make + a + big + thing + out + of

The meaning is directly derivable from combining 'make' (to cause or create) with 'a big thing' (something important) and the productive pattern 'make X out of Y' (to turn/represent Y as X); a learner who knows these words can infer 'to treat something as more important than it really is.' This composition follows a common cross-linguistic logic of 'make X out of Y', so the expression is likely comprehensible to a B1 learner.

Etymology

The phrase make a big thing out of comes from the simple image of taking a small event and 'making' it into a big thing, like blowing a tiny toy into a large balloon so everyone notices it. That's why it means 'to treat something as more important or serious than it really is'.