: a little mound or ridge of earth pushed up by a mole

Examples of molehill in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Everyone made a bit of a mountain out of a molehill. Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025 The attacks on Ramirez make a mountain out of a molehill, based on a questionable translation of her Spanish words. Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2025 Each of us moves through a world strewn with figurative mountains and molehills, continually assessing what matters more and what matters less. Nikhil Krishnan, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026 But last week, the typically gargantuan feta mountain was more like a molehill—all because of a feta cheese shortage starting in Greece. Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 1 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for molehill

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of molehill was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Molehill.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/molehill. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

1
: a small mound or ridge of earth pushed up by a burrowing mole
2
: an unimportant obstacle or difficulty
made a mountain out of a molehill

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