not see the forest for the trees
idiom
US
: to not understand or appreciate a larger situation, problem, etc., because one is considering only a few parts of it
Examples of not see the forest for the trees in a Sentence
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Some vendors who recently have been forced to hire a SQIL might not see the forest for the trees; possibly interpreting the program as either punitive, surveilling or both.
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Steve Tengler, Forbes, 26 May 2021
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Steve Tengler, Forbes, 26 May 2021
Cite this Entry
“Not see the forest for the trees.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/not%20see%20the%20forest%20for%20the%20trees. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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