leave well enough alone
Stop fixing it
To leave well enough alone is to avoid interfering with something that's functioning adequately, even if it could theoretically be improved.
The idiom warns against unnecessary tinkering that risks making things worse: The car runs fine—leave well enough alone.
Also phrased as let well enough alone.
- let sleeping dogs lieAvoid rekindling dormant issues
- status quoExisting condition of affairs
- quit while aheadLeave during success
- unintended consequencesUnanticipated outcomes of actions
- prudenceCareful, wise judgment
don't rock the boat · discretion · tread lightly · back off · hands-off · acceptance · let it go · foresight · patience · abstention · judgment · ripple effects · wisdom · ignore · risk aversion · carefulness · disregard · inaction
leave well enough alonemeddle
Interfere without invitation
interfere · tinker · tamper · micromanage · intervene
leave well enough aloneperfectionism
Compulsive pursuit of flawlessness
nitpick · gilding the lily · gild the lily · overthink · overanalyze
leave well enough alonebeat a dead horse
Pursue a pointless argument
overwork · flog a dead horse · keep at it · won't let it go · harp on