too clever by half

Register · Neutral Neutral — appropriate in most situations, both spoken and written, without sounding too casual or too stiff. CEFR B2

Post

Figurative meaning

clever in a self-defeating way, so one's crafty plan causes trouble instead of success

Word picture

A person is pictured as having more cleverness than is useful, with the excess becoming a disadvantage.

Example

“His plan to exploit three different discounts was too clever by half and the order was canceled.”

Dictionary details

Component words

clever half

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

draw a blank Neutral · CEFR B2

to be unable to recall or produce the needed answer or information

anyone's guess Neutral · CEFR B1

something whose answer or outcome is completely uncertain

go downhill Neutral · CEFR B1

to become progressively worse in condition, quality, or performance

miss the boat Informal · CEFR B1

To lose a chance to do something by being too slow or late.

pick someone's brain Neutral · CEFR B1

to seek ideas or guidance from someone with useful expertise

put two and two together Neutral · CEFR B1

to infer a conclusion by connecting the available clues

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.

markdown