tempest in a teapot

1. Also, tempest in a teacup. A great disturbance or uproar over a matter of little or no importance. For example, All that because a handful of the thousand invited guests didn't show up? What a tempest in a teapot! This expression has appeared in slightly different forms for more than 300 years. Among the variations are storm in a cream bowl, tempest in a glass of water, and storm in a hand-wash basin. The British prefer storm in a teacup. The current American forms were first recorded in 1854. For a synonym, see much ado about nothing.

Example Sentences

With the federal takeover in Washington, D.C., and the president’s continuing pursuit of retribution against his political opponents, some may be tempted to write off the attack on the Smithsonian as a tempest in a teapot.

From Salon

Is it just another tempest in a teapot?

From Salon

So is all of this a, well, tempest in a teapot?

From New York Times

The whole thing is a tempest in a teapot.

From Slate

“When you think about everything else going on in the world, there’s a side of it that sort of looks like a tempest in a teapot,” Mr. Rutledge, the Georgia dean, said.

From New York Times