boil the ocean

Register · Neutral Neutral — appropriate in most situations, both spoken and written, without sounding too casual or too stiff. CEFR C1

Post

Figurative meaning

to attempt something impossibly large or ambitious, especially by trying to solve every problem at once

Why this phrase?

US military planning language from the 1980s–90s for over-broad, impossible missions; you cannot boil the entire ocean.

Example

“Don't boil the ocean — ship one vertical slice first and learn from real users.”

Dictionary details

Component words

boil ocean

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

blue ocean Neutral · CEFR C1

an uncontested market space with no direct competitors

red ocean Neutral · CEFR C1

a crowded, hyper-competitive market where rivals fight over existing demand

bite off more than you can chew Informal · CEFR B2

to take on more work than you can handle

mission creep Neutral · CEFR C1

the gradual expansion of a project's goals beyond its original scope

easier said than done Neutral · CEFR B1

Something that sounds simple to do but is actually hard.

everything but the kitchen sink Informal · CEFR B1

an excessive collection of things; nearly everything imaginable, included without restraint

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

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