tail wagging the dog
The phrase "tail wagging the dog" is used to describe scenarios where a less significant part controls or influences a more significant whole, often inverting the usual power dynamics.
🇺🇸 US Voice:
🇬🇧 UK Voice:
Definition
C1Media and Entertainment
(idiomatic)A scenario where a diversion, often through media or military action, is created to distract from a more significant issue.
Example
- The scandal was overshadowed by the sudden military operation, a textbook example of the tail wagging the dog.
C1Politics
(idiomatic, political)A situation where a minor issue or a small group dictates the actions of a larger entity, such as a government.
Example
- When a small lobby group influences major policy decisions, it's a classic case of the tail wagging the dog.
C1General
(idiomatic)A situation where a minor or less important part controls or influences the whole.
Example
- In the company, the junior staff making all the decisions is a case of the tail wagging the dog.
- When one child's preferences dictate the entire family's schedule, it is an example of the tail wagging the dog.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "tail wagging the dog":