water under the bridge
4 synonyms for water under the bridge, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun phrase — Something unpleasant that happened in the past and is no longer worth being upset about.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use water under the bridge
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
all water under the bridge
that's water under the bridge
consider it water under the bridge
Idiomatic and neutral; treated as uncountable, so say "it's water under the bridge", never "a water under the bridge". Usually said by the injured party as a signal that they have let it go.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between water under the bridge and letting bygones be bygones?
They are close in meaning. "Water under the bridge" states that the matter no longer counts; "let bygones be bygones" is a request or agreement to stop dwelling on it. The first describes a settled state, the second proposes one.
Is it water under the bridge or over the bridge?
Under. Water flows under a bridge and away downstream, which is the whole image. "Water over the dam" is a separate American idiom with the same meaning.
