see the forest but for the trees

A form of see the forest for the trees — To discern an overall pattern from a mass of detail; to see the big picture, or the broader, more general situation.

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Meanings

verbsee the forest but for the trees (third-person singular simple present sees the forest but for the trees, present participle seeing the forest but for the trees, simple past saw the forest but for the trees, past participle seen the forest but for the trees)

present singular third person sees the forest but for the trees · participle present seeing the forest but for the trees · past saw the forest but for the trees · participle past seen the forest but for the trees

  1. alternativeAlternative form of see the forest for the trees.
Cite this entry
APA

see the forest but for the trees. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/see%20the%20forest%20but%20for%20the%20trees

MLA

“see the forest but for the trees.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/see%20the%20forest%20but%20for%20the%20trees. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “see the forest but for the trees,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/see%20the%20forest%20but%20for%20the%20trees.

Source: see the forest but for the trees on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.