A very small amount compared with what is needed or expected.
‘the £550 million saving is likely to be a drop in the ocean’
‘Even so, the amount of money is still a drop in the bucket when compared to the size of the growing global mental health epidemic.’
‘Although she was pleased with the £25 increase in child benefit, she felt it was a drop in the ocean when compared to childcare costs and the expense of rearing children.’
‘Still, it's a drop in the bucket when you compare it to the overall budget.’
‘It is a drop in the ocean compared with the overall cost of the policing operation.’
‘‘This is just a drop in the ocean compared to what will happen in Scotland, as our pubs have always been less profitable than Irish pubs,’ he said.’
‘And the money is just a drop in the ocean compared with the real cost of restoring the county's roads, according to opposition councillors.’
‘In any case, the incentives a government could reasonably offer are a drop in the ocean compared with the total cost of raising a child.’
‘Recall that sales at Whole Foods were $3 billion in 2003 - a drop in the bucket compared with the $900 billion Americans spent on food in 2002.’
‘The public knows this is a drop in the bucket compared with what's needed.’
‘That's a drop in the bucket compared with the knowledge stored in the world's libraries.’
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