Wermutstropfen

derNoun

drop of bitterness; fly in the ointment

English translations

  1. 01

    drop of wormwood

  2. 02

    a small amount of something unpleasant or bitter-sweet

  3. 03

    a source of wormwood

Word details

German meaning
Etwas, das eine ansonsten positive Situation trübt; ein kleiner Nachteil.
English meaning
Fly in the ointment
Synonym
Trübsal, Ärgernis
German example
Die lange Anreise war der einzige Wermutstropfen an dem schönen Urlaub.
English example
The long journey was the only fly in the ointment of the beautiful vacation.
Type
Noun
Article
der
Singular Form
der Wermutstropfen
Plural Form
die Wermutstropfen

Example sentences with “Wermutstropfen”

  1. Ein kleiner Wermutstropfen blieb bei dem Erfolg. (A small drop of bitterness remained with the success.)

Frequently asked questions

What does this idiom mean?

It refers to a small negative detail that spoils a otherwise positive situation.