much ado about nothing
1
a great deal of attention that is given to matters of small importance
The idiom "much ado about nothing" originates from the title of William Shakespeare's comedy play, "Much Ado About Nothing," which was written in the late 16th century. In the play, the term is used to describe a situation in which a great deal of commotion or drama is made over something that ultimately turns out to be insignificant, trivial, or a misunderstanding.
- The media's coverage of the celebrity's wardrobe malfunction was much ado about nothing.
- He made much ado about nothing when he thought he had lost his keys, only to find them in his coat pocket.
- The argument between the neighbors was resolved quickly, showing that it was much ado about nothing.
- Sometimes, political debates can become much ado about nothing when they focus on trivial matters rather than important policy issues.
- All the fuss over the missing office supplies turned out to be much ado about nothing; they were in the storage room all along.