low-hanging fruit
noun
low-hang·ing fruit ˈlō-ˈhaŋ-iŋ- 
: the obvious or easy things that can be most readily done or dealt with in achieving success or making progress toward an objective
Maria and Victor have about three months' living expenses set aside. That's actually pretty good …. But I urged them to do better …. Looking at their monthly expenses, we found a few pieces of low-hanging fruit: Two hundred dollars a month on clothes? I don't think so. Another $155 for hair and manicures? Denied.
Suze Orman
—often used with pick Suze Orman As the writers and producers sat down in spring 2007 to draw the outlines of Season 7, they knew, Mr. Gordon said, that most of the low-hanging fruit in the action genre had already been picked. Edward WyattWhen business types talk about picking low-hanging fruit, they don't mean, heaven forbid, doing actual physical labor. They mean finding easy solutions. Allan Sloan
Edward WyattWhen business types talk about picking low-hanging fruit, they don't mean, heaven forbid, doing actual physical labor. They mean finding easy solutions. Allan Sloan
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Engaging in contractual flexibility, including term and process flexibility, is a low-hanging fruit that can provide instant attractiveness or resolution in competitive environments. Jonathan Fianu, Forbes, 18 Aug. 2022 By the standards of satire, the target of religious hypocrisy is a pretty low-hanging fruit. Michael O'sullivan, Washington Post, 31 Aug. 2022 Electrifying new buildings and replacing end-of-life water and space heaters with electric alternatives is low-hanging fruit. Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Aug. 2022 To avoid being the low-hanging fruit, SMBs are increasingly deciding to lock their front doors before investing in laser sensors for their roof. Nadav Arbel, Forbes, 8 Aug. 2022 However, executive orders are just the low-hanging fruit. Emily Pennington, Outside Online, 26 Jan. 2021 Is the administration's piecemeal approach picking low-hanging fruit? Kristen Jordan Shamus, Detroit Free Press, 8 July 2022 There was a consensus that those things were unconstitutional, but that was the low-hanging fruit. Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2022 There are two noteworthy aspects to the dark comedy that are low-hanging fruit for Academy Awards attention. Clayton Davis, Variety, 23 May 2022 See More
Jonathan Fianu, Forbes, 18 Aug. 2022 By the standards of satire, the target of religious hypocrisy is a pretty low-hanging fruit. Michael O'sullivan, Washington Post, 31 Aug. 2022 Electrifying new buildings and replacing end-of-life water and space heaters with electric alternatives is low-hanging fruit. Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Aug. 2022 To avoid being the low-hanging fruit, SMBs are increasingly deciding to lock their front doors before investing in laser sensors for their roof. Nadav Arbel, Forbes, 8 Aug. 2022 However, executive orders are just the low-hanging fruit. Emily Pennington, Outside Online, 26 Jan. 2021 Is the administration's piecemeal approach picking low-hanging fruit? Kristen Jordan Shamus, Detroit Free Press, 8 July 2022 There was a consensus that those things were unconstitutional, but that was the low-hanging fruit. Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2022 There are two noteworthy aspects to the dark comedy that are low-hanging fruit for Academy Awards attention. Clayton Davis, Variety, 23 May 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
1909, in the meaning defined above