The Big Picture: Definition, Origin and Useful Examples

The Big Picture! The following lesson introduces meaning of the idiom and the information regarding its origin. You will also discover other ways to say the phrase while conveying the same meaning.

Idioms are expressions that help us describe an exact situation in a different, more creative way. Some writers use idioms to “add color” to their writing, while others are adamant about keeping their text as simple as possible.

Table of Contents

Big Picture

Big Picture Meaning

The phrase “the big picture” implies the wide perspective, the complete and overarching idea. This phrase also means that one should think of the future, not focus on the small details.

Origin of Big Picture

Merriam-Webster’s cites the first use of the phrase as 1904 but does not elaborate further on the source. It could be connected with the motion picture industry, which was relatively new at the time.

Example Sentences off Big Picture

They specialize in the big picture and are no good at details.
We need to seize the big picture.
They see the details but miss the big picture.
Macroeconomics is the study of the big picture: Which way is the economy headed?
This is no longer a team involved in the big picture.
In my political work I try to concentrate on the big picture and not be distracted by details.
If macroeconomics concerns the big picture, it must also concern the biggest player, the government.
The whole Big Picture display is tremendously powerful photojournalism.
I know that one parking ticket isn’t important in the big picture, but I’m really annoyed about it right now.
These fields provide a big picture for monitoring production load and analyzing pool usage so you can define the optimum value for your maximum pool size.
In the big picture, we achieve our goal of lockstep numbering of parallel roads.
These are big picture projections. We’ll worry about the details later.
We were so caught up with the details, we lost sight of the big picture.
Right now forget the details and take a look at the big picture.
My plea is for balance and for concentration on the big picture.
Stand back from time to time and take a look at the big picture.
Wood engravings were generally small, because the box tree is small and its end-grain can not accommodate a big picture.
Something quite illogic, if these two juxtaposed reverse direction sewers are looked at within the same big picture.
A dominant extraverted Intuitive, on the other hand, needs to see the big picture before the facts are presented.
These thought sequences have a beginning, a middle, and an end, and it’s nearly impossible to see the big picture overhead view of a sequence while you’re stuck in playback mode.
If you’re naturally right – brain, start with the big picture and think expansively, no holds barred.
Of course we’re all about creating big picture results and long-term change but breaking the big process down into a series of twenty eight day game plans seems to work for most people.
Despite the distraction of the details, you must maintain a critical focus and open mind to have a clear vision of the ever-widening, ever-changing big picture.