Bite off more than you can chew
/baɪt ɒf mɔː ðæn juː kæn tʃuː/informal, neutralUK · US · AU · IE · CA
What does “Bite off more than you can chew” mean?
Bite off more than you can chew means this means trying to do something that is too difficult or taking on too much work.
This expression uses the image of food. If you put too much food in your mouth at one time, you cannot chew it, and you might choke. In real life, it means you accepted a task or a job that is too big or too hard for you to finish.
People usually say this with sympathy or as a friendly warning. It describes the feeling of being overwhelmed and stressed because you have too many responsibilities.
When do people say it?
People use this phrase to warn someone against accepting too many tasks or to explain why someone failed.
“He agreed to lead three big projects at once, but he quickly realized he bit off more than he could chew.”
Is it formal or informal?
Register: informal, neutral. It is most at home in both everyday conversation and professional writing. Most common in UK and US and AU and IE and CA.
Where does it come from?
It likely came from the practice of biting into a plug of chewing tobacco in 19th-century America. If a person took too big a bite, they could not chew it properly.
Origin confidence: Reasonably documented
How do you say “Bite off more than you can chew” in other languages?
Last reviewed 2026-09-11