preach to the choir

American  

[preech tuh thuh kwahyuhr] / ˈpritʃ tə ðə ˈkwaɪər /

idiom

1. to express an observation or viewpoint to those who already share the same observation or viewpoint.

   If you’re saying that juggling a career and parenthood is tough, you’re preaching to the choir—I’m a single working mom with two preschoolers.

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Etymology

Origin of preach to the choir

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

And so we’re really looking at this 20- to 45-year-old range of people who, yes, there are the Black people… You preach to the choir, so that you can get that refrain.

From Slate • Jan. 4, 2022

They all preach to the choir while the people who need to be reached remain outside the church of the Enlightenment.

From New York Times • Jul. 9, 2021

People sometimes ask me, "Why do you preach to the choir?"

From Salon • Oct. 18, 2020

When writing the graphic novel, said Maroh, she didn't set out to "make a book in order to preach to the choir, nor only for lesbians".

From The Guardian • May 30, 2013

"This is not the time to hunker down and preach to the choir," she said.

From Reuters • Sep. 5, 2011