‘Bite off More Than You Can Chew’: Definition, Meaning and Examples

Did you hear someone say use the phrase ‘bite off more than you can chew,’ and now you’re wondering what that meant? In this article, we’ll take a look at the definition, origin, and provide examples on how to use the phrase in a sentence.

In short:

• ‘Bite off more than you can chew’ means that you’re trying to do something that’s too difficult for you.

Essentially, it means that you’re trying to attempt something that you may not be able to do. It may be a little difficult for you.

What Does ‘Bite Off More Than You Can Chew’ Mean?

‘Bite off more than you can chew’ is an American expression that people use when they’re talking about attempting to do something that might be a little too hard to pull off. It’s used when someone might be trying to do something they have no chance of doing successfully.

It might be used to discourage someone from making a fool of themselves or save themselves the trouble (and possibly the money) from doing something stupid or something they shouldn’t even be trying to do.

Where Does ‘Bite Off More Than You Can Chew’ Come From?

The phrase ‘bite off more than you can chew’ comes from the late nineteenth century when men would offer other men bites of their plug of chewing tobacco.

Sometimes, a man might ‘bite off more than he could chew’ in doing this.

Saying this phrase reminded the man to take a bite and not to be greedy.

Examples of ‘Bite Off More Than You Can Chew’ in Sentences

How would you use ‘bite off more than you can chew’ in a sentence? 

Let’s see some examples:

• Mark said he always bites off more than he can chew at work. He takes on multiple projects and gets burnt out way too easily.
• We were just about to leave when Sherry asked us to help her with a case. I had to turn her down, though, or I’d be biting off more than I could chew. I already had a pretty big caseload.
• At school, I always bite off more than I can chew by taking on extra credit assignments and joining too many clubs at the beginning of the year. By the end, I look like I’ve been through a wind tunnel twice.
• Miss Jackson always bites off more than she can chew by trying to help everyone else but herself. She always volunteers to take on extra classes and take over after-school activities. She must be lonely at home.
• Every time I get a new client, I bite off more than I can chew because I always try to go above and beyond for them. But I also have to ensure I’m still keeping up with work for my existing clients. It’s a real juggling act.
• My best friend owns a holistic care practice, and she’s always biting off more than she can chew instead of hiring help. I keep telling her to hire an assistant.
• My fiancé has been telling me that I bite off more than I can chew for years. I’m finally going to start listening to him because everything in my body hurts. I really need a break.
• I’m such a workaholic, and I can never accept it when someone tells me I bite off more than I can chew. I don’t believe in too much work. There’s no such thing.

Other Ways to Say ‘Bite Off More Than You Can Chew’

What other words and phrases convey the same meaning as ‘bite off more than you can chew’?

Let’s see some examples:

• Take on more than you can handle
• Do more than you’re able to
• Being in over your head
• Go to extremes
• Overextend yourself
• Keep your nose to the grindstone
• Go too far
• Spread yourself too thin
• Burn the candle at both ends
• Burn the midnight oil
• Do too much
• Exhaust yourself
• Go to extremes
• Overdo things
• Wear yourself out
• Take on too much
• Tire yourself out
• Stay on the treadmill
• Run yourself into the ground
• Overburden yourself
• Work like a slave
• Work like a horse
• Work too hard
• Strain yourself
• Work like a Trojan
• Workday and night
• Drive yourself too hard
• Push yourself too hard
• Have too many balls in the air
• Work your fingers to the bone

Final Thoughts on ‘Bite Off More Than You Can Chew’

To recap, we learned the following:

• ‘Bite off more than you can chew’ means that you’re trying to do something that’s too difficult for you.

Remember, it means that you’re trying to attempt something that you may not be able to do. It may be a little difficult for you.

If you ever get stuck on anything, feel free to come back to review what you learned. We’ve got a whole library of content on other idioms you might see while you’re learning English. Go check it out anytime.