How to Pronounce "a tempest in a teacup"
expression
uh TEM-pest in uh TEE-kuhp
uh TEM-pest in uh TEE-kup
Definition
An idiom describing a situation where someone treats a small problem as if it were something much more serious than it really is.
IPA Transcription
American English
ˈeɪ/, /ə/ /ˈtɛmpəst/ /ˈɪn/, /ɪn/ /ˈeɪ/, /ə/ /ˈtiˌkəp
British English
æɪ/ /tˈɛmpəst/ /ˈɪn/ /æɪ/ /tˈiːkʌp
Simplified Pronunciation
US
uh TEM-pest in uh TEE-kuhp
UK
uh TEM-pest in uh TEE-kup
Listen in Context
Don't make a tempest in a teacup about being five minutes late.
It was just a small mistake, but he made a tempest in a teacup.
Their argument was a tempest in a teacup—it didn't really matter.
Honestly, this is just a tempest in a teacup. No one will even remember it next week.