What does ‘there are plenty of fish in the sea’ mean?
To “there are plenty of fish in the sea” means to there are many other romantic partners available. A modern consolation idiom, likely 19th-century in current form; Brewer's does not fix a specific origin.
Origin
- A modern consolation idiom, likely 19th-century in current form; Brewer's does not fix a specific origin.
How to use it
- Almost always used to comfort someone after a breakup.
- Example: Don't dwell on it — there are plenty of fish in the sea.
Source:
Last verified: 2026-07-18
- Definitions and origins are drawn from public-domain reference works, primarily Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898), with modern usage notes clearly marked.