make a mountain out of a molehill

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make a mountain out of a molehill (third-person singular simple present makes a mountain out of a molehill, present participle making a mountain out of a molehill, simple past and past participle made a mountain out of a molehill)

1. (transitive, idiomatic) To treat a problem as greater than it is; to blow something out of proportion; to exaggerate the importance of something trivial.

   If you’re stuck in traffic, try not to make a mountain out of a molehill worrying about it too much. You could be making it much worse.

   • 1573, John Bridges, The Supremacie of Christian Princes Over All Persons Throughout Theor Dominions, London: Humphrey Toye, Division 18, p. 553,

     to slaunder the Gospell ye aggrauate many lies, & will make a mountaine of a mole hill

   • 1642, James Howell, Instructions for Forreine Travell, London: Humphrey Mosley, Section 14, p. 176-177,

     Others have a custome to bee always relating strange things and wonders, […] they make Mountaines of Mole-hils, like Charenton-Bridge-Eccho, which doubles the sound nine times.

   • 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, Dublin, John Smith, Volume 3, Book 15, Chapter 10, pp. 170-171,

     For of all the Powers exercised by this Passion over our Minds, one of the most wonderful is that of supporting Hope in the midst of Despair. […] Yet it is equally true, that the same Passion will sometimes make Mountans of Mole-hills, and produce Despair in the midst of Hope;

   • 1868, Wilkie Collins, chapter 12, in The Moonstone‎, volume 1, London: Tinsley Brothers, page 207:

     “I have now only one remark to offer, on leaving this case in your hands. There is such a thing, Sergeant, as making a mountain out of a molehill. Good morning.”

   • 1913, D. H. Lawrence, Sons and Lovers‎, London: Heinemann, Part 2, Chapter 7, p. 181:

     She wondered why he, who did not usually trouble over trifles, made such a mountain of this molehill.

• blow out of proportion
• federal case
• magnify
• make a big thing out of
• much ado about nothing
• sweat the small stuff
• tempest in a teapot