expression

bite off more than you can chew

to take on too much

In more detail

(idiom) to try to do something that is too difficult or too much for you to handle; to take on more responsibility or work than you are able to manage successfully

Examples

He bit off more than he could chew when he agreed to work two jobs while studying full-time.

How to use bite off more than you can chew

This is a common figurative idiom used in both formal and informal contexts to warn someone against overcommitting or to explain why someone has failed at a task. It suggests that someone has underestimated the difficulty or scope of a task relative to their abilities. The idiom carries a mildly cautionary or self-aware tone and is often used after the fact to explain a mistake.

Common phrases

bite off more than you can chew
don't bite off more than you can chew
biting off more than they can chew
tend to bite off more than you can chew

Synonyms

take on too much · overextend oneself · exceed one's capacity · tackle more than you can manage · spread oneself too thin

Opposites

know your limits · stay within your depth

A common mistake

Learners sometimes use the idiom incorrectly to mean eating too much literally, rather than understanding it as a metaphor for taking on excessive responsibility or work.

Learn it for good

Save this word in WordVale and it comes back for review right before you'd forget it — with pronunciation, real examples, and optional translations. One purchase, no subscription.

Get WordValeFREE 7-DAY TRIAL · iPHONE & iPAD