The devil is in the details
CulturalDiscover More
This version of the proverb often implies that the details might cause failure. A more positive version is “God is in the details,” a saying often attributed to the architect Le Corbusier.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"The devil is in the details," he said, explaining that many previous studies rely on open-ended questions, a method known as spontaneous reporting.
From Science Daily • Nov. 5, 2025
"The devil is in the details," said Francine Lipman, a CPA and professor at UNLV’s William S. Boyd School of Law, specializing in tax law.
From Salon • Nov. 1, 2024
The devil is in the details: James executes that trick while riding backward and flipping without being able to see the landing.
From Seattle Times • Jan. 28, 2023
"The devil is in the details," said Goldberg.
From Reuters • Jan. 10, 2017
The devil is in the details, and so is the mastery of Coecke's ravishing art.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 1, 2014
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
