# 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.

## What it means

- A modern consolation idiom, likely 19th-century in current form; Brewer's does not fix a specific origin.

## Action steps

1. Almost always used to comfort someone after a breakup.
2. Example: Don't dwell on it — there are plenty of fish in the sea.

## Sources

- [Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898) — Internet Archive scan](https://archive.org/details/brewers-dictionary-of-phrase-and-fable)

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