Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

someone's bark is worse than their bite

idiom

/ˈsʌmwʌnz bɑrk ɪz wɜrs ðən ðɛr baɪt/

Definition

A phrase used to describe a person who makes threats or expresses anger but is not actually dangerous or harmful.

Examples

Although he often complains loudly about the rules, I find that his bark is worse than his bite; he never actually enforces them.
She talks a tough game, but I know her bark is worse than her bite; she wouldn’t hurt a fly.

Meaning

It suggests that a person’s words may sound aggressive or intimidating, but their actions reveal that they are not as fierce or threatening as they appear.