cannot see the wood for the trees

can't see the wood for the trees

Cannot see, understand, or focus on a situation in its entirety due to being preoccupied with minor details. The way he's obsessing over one doorknob when we're renovating the entire house makes me think that he can't see the wood for the trees.

See also: see, tree, wood

cannot see the wood for the trees

 and cannot see the forest for the trees

Prov. Cannot perceive the overview or important things because of concentrating too much on details. The information presented in this textbook is so disorganized that I can't see the wood for the trees. The politician's opponents claimed that she couldn't see the forest for the trees, because she spent so much time trying to solve minor problems.

See also: cannot, see, tree, wood

cannot see the wood for the trees

fail to grasp the main issue because of over-attention to details.

The North American version of this expression is cannot see the forest for the trees .

See also: cannot, see, tree, wood