A drop in the ocean

Pro Tip 1/3

Emphasizing Scale

Used to highlight how small an action is compared to a much larger need or situation.

Her attempt to fix the issue was a drop in the ocean, given the company's widespread problems.

Pro Tip 2/3

Positive or Negative

Can convey hopelessness or the need for greater effort; tone depends on the context.

Volunteering once is a drop in the ocean, but if everyone does, it adds up.

Pro Tip 3/3

Idiomatic Usage

Understand it's an idiom; don't take it literally but grasp the figurative meaning.

Recycling a single bottle feels like a drop in the ocean, but it's important.