English / idiom
Fly in the Ointment
MEANING IN ENGLISH
A solitary flaw or minor drawback that spoils the overall success or enjoyment of something
In context
01
The multinational merger was hailed as a historic milestone, but a lingering antitrust investigation remained the sole fly in the ointment.
02
Our expansion project achieved all key targets ahead of schedule; unpredictable shipping tariffs proved to be our only fly in the ointment.
Synonyms
drawback,snag,spoiler
Antonyms
crowning asset,flawless advantage,pure benefit
Collocations
the only fly in the ointment,a minor fly in the ointment,prove a fly in the ointment