Also:
lots of other/good fish in the sea
plenty of other/good fish in the sea
not the only pebble on the beach
Meaning of Idiom ‘Not the Only Fish in the Sea’
Not the only fish in the sea is used to say that there are plenty of other suitable persons, especially for a romantic relationship. 1Ammer, Christine. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.,2“Fish in the sea.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fish%20in%20the%20sea. Accessed 11 Apr. 2023.
Usage Notes
This idiom is most often used to comfort someone who has been jilted or ‘dumped’ in a relationship, as a way of saying there are many other people with which they could have a relationship and who are just as good as the previous person.
Sentence Examples
“So what if she broke up with you? She’s not the only fish in the sea.”
“I know you miss Victoria but it will get better. And, besides, there are plenty other fish in the sea.”
“I asked Dr. Macum to be my Ph.D. advisor and he turned me down, said he’s got too much on his plate.” “That’s OK, he’s not the only fish in the sea.” “Actually, he is. Without him, I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
“He’s not the only fish in the sea. Some day you’ll look back at this and laugh.” — Joan of Arcadia: Spring Cleaning (2005)
“You need to be honest with yourself whether you’re doing this for you or someone else. Listen, your son’s a great guy, but he’s not the only fish in the sea.” — Nip/Tuck: Rachel Ben Natan (2008)
“Hatsumomo has poisoned Dr. Crab against me. Forget about him, there are plenty of other fish in the sea.” — Memoirs of a Geisha (2005)
“Look, don’t take this the wrong way, because Sadie’s cool, I like her a lot but there are plenty of fish in the sea. And now it’s your time to be the king barracuda…” — License to Wed (2007)
“No, thanks. I don’t need an algorithm to meet women. It’s New York City. You know, plenty of fish in the sea. Plenty of fish in the sea. Yes, there’s nine million people in New York, 4.5 million women.” — Matchmaker (2005)
Origin
This idiom has been used, as a comforting mechanism for mournful lovers, since the 1500s. Both fish and the more recent variation, pebble, are used to refer to something that is available in very large quantities.
‘Not the only pebble on the beach; was first seen in a poem written in 1896 by Henry Braistead 3Ammer, Christine. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.:
If you want to win her hand Let the maiden understand That she’s not the only pebble on the beach.
