bite off more than you can chew
Say it: bite off more than you can CHOO /ˌbaɪt ɒf ˈmɔː ðən juː kən ˈtʃuː/ · idiom
What “bite off more than you can chew” means
Take on more than you can manage.
More precisely: To take on more work or responsibility than you can manage.
Example: “Training for a marathon during my exams meant biting off more than I could chew.”
When to use it
When someone accepts too much work or responsibility. Informal, often a gentle warning about being too ambitious.
Similar words
overcommit, overreach, take on too much
Quick check
You volunteer to organise three school events in one week, then realise you cannot manage them. Which phrase fits?
rise to the occasion or bite off more than you can chew?
Show the answer
bite off more than you can chew
Learn 5 new words a day in Kinquire. Each with a picture, how to say it, an example and a quick check, then spaced review so you actually keep them. Free to start.
Learn “bite off more than you can chew”