rock the boat

/ɹˈɒk ðə bˈəʊt/

/ɹˈɑːk ðə bˈoʊt/

to rock the boat

to provoke problems with something that one does or says

Examples

1. If she didn't like it then it was her fault for rocking the boat.

2. This helps to prevent rocking the boat in complex family issues, friendships, or society.

3. With Brezhnev in charge, rocking the boat simply meant you drowned.

4. I hate to rock the boat but what I like to do is innovate a little bit.