Shooting Fish in a Barrel – Idiom, Meaning and Origin

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Candace Osmond

Candace Osmond studied Advanced Writing & Editing Essentials at MHC. She’s been an International and USA TODAY Bestselling Author for over a decade. And she’s worked as an Editor for several mid-sized publications. Candace has a keen eye for content editing and a high degree of expertise in Fiction.

Shooting fish in a barrel means accomplishing a task that’s remarkably easy or certain to succeed. If you’ve ever had to do a job that felt like a breeze and thought, “This is like taking candy from a baby,” then you’re on the right track.

Idioms are common sayings we take from historical instances and lessons that hold no literal meanings today. They’re figurative expressions to help paint verbal pictures when communicating.

To understand the meaning, origin, and proper usage of the phrase shooting fish in a barrel, read this article!

The Meaning of Shooting Fish in a Barrel

Shooting Fish in a Barrel – Idiom Meaning and Origin

The idiom shooting fish in a barrel paints a vivid picture of a situation that requires so little effort that it almost feels like an unfair advantage. This expression encapsulates tasks or actions that present minimal challenge or resistance, often to the point of absurdity. To put it simply, it’s a metaphorical way of describing something that’s incredibly easy.

Imagine the very first level in a Super Mario video game, where the obstacles are minimal and success practically guaranteed. Or consider a fifth-grader taking a spelling test meant for first-graders—there’s no real challenge, just a sense of breezing through.

While the imagery of shooting fish in a barrel might seem peculiar, it effectively conveys the essence of tasks that require little skill, effort, or difficulty. It’s a reminder that not all challenges in life are created equal, and sometimes, we encounter situations where success feels almost too easily attainable.

Shooting Fish in a Barrel Origin and Etymology

Shooting Fish in a Barrel Ngram
Shooting fish in a barrel usage trend.

It’s hard to trace the exact origin of “shooting fish in a barrel.” However, the vivid imagery originated in the early 20th century in America when ships traveling long distances would keep fresh fish in a barrel of water for eating.

The notion behind it is simple: if you were actually to shoot at fish in a barrel, you’d have a high likelihood of hitting one because of the confined space. Eventually, we adopted this colorful image to illustrate any task that’s ridiculously easy.

Synonyms for the ‘Shooting Fish in a Barrel’ Idiom

  • Piece of cake
  • Walk in the park
  • Easy as pie
  • Taking candy from a baby
  • No-brainer
  • Simple
  • Easy peasy

Examples of Shooting Fish in a Barrel in a Sentence

Shooting Fish in a Barrel – Idiom Meaning and Origin 1

  • As a seasoned coder, fixing this software bug is like shooting fish in a barrel for Spencer.
  • With the other team’s star player out with a broken leg, winning the match felt like shooting fish in a barrel.
  • I shot fish in a barrel when I took that beginner’s course on writing last summer.
  • Most of the test questions were like shooting fish in a barrel for Adele.
  • Making friends in college is like shooting fish in a barrel because everyone’s so eager to form relationships.
  • You think you’re a genius, but really, you’re just shooting fish in a barrel with those questions.
  • With all the clues my dad gave, guessing the surprise was like shooting fish in a barrel.
  • If you know the right techniques, catching any lingering typos is like shooting fish in a barrel.
  • With such outdated security, hacking their system was akin to shooting fish in a barrel.

Here, Fishy, Fishy

The idiom “shooting fish in a barrel” offers a fun way to add a splash of character to your words, perfectly capturing the essence of simplicity. We’ve got other, less fishy idioms to check out on our site, so go have a look!