drop in the bucket

NOUN

small amount

Synonyms

STRONGEST

bit trivial amount

STRONG

pittance small amount small change small potatoes small quantity

WEAK

Band-Aid cosmetic measure disappointment drop in the ocean lick and a promise miniscule amount not enough speck spit in the sea too little too late trifle

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The problem with this way of thinking is that each of us contributes an infinitesimally small drop in the bucket of global greenhouse gases.

From Slate • May 15, 2026

"It's a drop in the bucket compared to what this country needs. It means next to nothing," said Raul Pomares, a 56-year-old gardener waiting for a taxi in the capital.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

Teaching unions said they would be scrutinising the proposals closely, with one saying the money was "barely a drop in the bucket" of what was needed because of "years of underfunding".

From BBC • Feb. 22, 2026

Any crypto losses would be a drop in the bucket for Harvard’s massive $57 billion endowment, the biggest of any U.S. school.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 2, 2025

That’s a mere drop in the bucket, compared to the number of texts sent—six billion in the United States each day.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

drop in the bucket

Example Sentences

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