The bigger picture is the whole situation with all its effects, not the single detail everyone is stuck on. Let's look at the bigger picture means let's step back and see what really matters. People often say it when an argument about small things distracts from the main goal. The big picture means exactly the same.
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see / consider / look at the bigger picture; the big picture (same idiom)
- Before arguing about the poster colour, let's look at the bigger picture: can people find the event details?
- One delayed parcel is frustrating, but the bigger picture includes how reliable the service has been all year.
- The editor focused on the big picture before correcting individual commas.
What changed
First versionWe need to see bigger picture before changing the whole plan.
RevisionWe need to see the bigger picture before changing the whole plan.
Bigger picture can feel like a general idea, so it goes out without an article: see bigger picture. But the idiom always needs the: see the bigger picture, the big picture. The was added.
The details are the separate small parts; the bigger picture is how they fit together. In a nutshell means in a few words: it's about being brief, not about seeing widely. On the whole is an overall judgement: On the whole, the trip was a success.
Your turn
Which question looks at the bigger picture?
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Will the whole route remain accessible? — Whether the whole route stays accessible affects the main goal and everyone who uses it. The shade of blue on one sign is a small detail.
Describe an argument about something small at work or at home, and say what really mattered more.
Let's consider the bigger picture: the timetable has to work for people travelling from several towns.
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