that's the thing

phrase

Used to seize on a point and highlight its comparative importance, especially as a refutation or negation to a statement made by another speaker.

“But that's the thing, see? Like you said, you can't just go spending your money like that.”

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Meanings

phrase
  1. colloquialidiomaticUsed to seize on a point and highlight its comparative importance, especially as a refutation or negation to a statement made by another speaker.

    But that's the thing, see? Like you said, you can't just go spending your money like that.

Cite this entry
APA

that's the thing. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/that's%20the%20thing

MLA

“that's the thing.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/that's%20the%20thing. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “that's the thing,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/that's%20the%20thing.

Source: that's the thing on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.