Play GamesMy progressVocabulary testSettings
en English es español fr française it italiano de deutsche ja 日本語 pl polski cs česky sv svenska tr Türkçe nl Nederlands

Please, sign up or log in to not lose your learning progress!

Explaining "Too many cooks spoil the broth"

Reviewed and edited by Lloyd Cooper 03/10/2024, 11:28
English.me team member

What does it mean?

Too many cooks spoil the broth

The phrase means that when too many people are involved in a task or activity, especially when they give conflicting opinions, it can become complicated or result in failure.

Tone

The tone is cautionary and advisory, warning against involving too many people in a task.

Origin

The phrase is a proverbial saying dating back to at least the 16th century, highlighting an idea present in many cultures about collaboration overload leading to inefficiency.

Examples of usage

  • The project failed because too many cooks spoiled the broth with everyone trying to implement their own ideas.
  • When organizing the event, we kept the team small, as we believed too many cooks would spoil the broth.

Recommended posts in Phrases

You are never too old to learn

You are never too old to learn

The phrase means that one can always gain new knowledge ... Learn more →

Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt

Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt

This phrase advises that it is often wiser to say ... Learn more →

False friends are worse than open enemies

False friends are worse than open enemies

The phrase means that people who pretend to be your ... Learn more →

The end justifies the means

The end justifies the means

The phrase "The end justifies the means" means that if ... Learn more →