flies in the ointment

A form of fly in the ointment — Something (especially a minor thing) which ruins or spoils everything else, or makes it less pleasant; a nuisance or problem; a disagreeable or unpleasant detail.

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Meanings

noun
  1. pluralplural of fly in the ointment
Cite this entry
APA

flies in the ointment. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/flies%20in%20the%20ointment

MLA

“flies in the ointment.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/flies%20in%20the%20ointment. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “flies in the ointment,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/flies%20in%20the%20ointment.

Source: flies in the ointment on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.