How to Pronounce "cannot see the forest for the trees"
expression
KAN-ot see thuh FAWR-ist fer thuh TREEZ
kuh-NOT see thuh FOR-ist faw thuh TREEZ
Definition
Used when someone is so focused on small details that they fail to see the bigger or more important picture.
IPA Transcription
American English
ˈkænɑt/, /kəˈnɑt/ /ˈsi/ /ˈðə/, /ðə/, /ði/ /ˈfɔɹəst/, /ˈfɔɹɪst/ /ˈfɔɹ/, /fɝ/, /fɹɝ/ /ˈðə/, /ðə/, /ði/ /ˈtɹiz
British English
kəˈnɑt/ /sˈiː/ /ðə, ði/ /fˈɒɹɪst/ /fˈɔː/ /ðə, ði/ /tɹˈiːz
Simplified Pronunciation
US
KAN-ot see thuh FAWR-ist fer thuh TREEZ
UK
kuh-NOT see thuh FOR-ist faw thuh TREEZ
Listen in Context
Sometimes people cannot see the forest for the trees and forget why they started a project.
If you cannot see the forest for the trees, you might miss the main idea of the book.
She spends so much time on small tasks, she cannot see the forest for the trees.
"You’re worrying over that comma again? Don’t cannot see the forest for the trees!"