steal someone's thunder
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.80 in modern English
26
Scrabble Score
20
Letters
4
Syllables
12
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
To appropriate someone's ideas or information, typically in order to look better at that person's expense.
verb
To detract from someone's accomplishments or glory; to undermine.
Example Sentences
- "There are several upstarts, who, without the genius to invent a style, have been copying yours, and trying to steal your thunder."
- "It also serves to give someone else an opportunity to steal your thunder if he considers there is any amount of thunder in it."
- "The sense of accomplishment is yours to enjoy, and nobody can steal your thunder. Even I couldn't take credit for your weight loss under my own plan, because you're the one who will do the accomplishing."
- "Can Your Competition Steal Your Thunder? Make sure that your competitors can't undermine your statement."
- "I'm in no way, hoping for any such disasters to take place. Nevertheless, I know that they will and I shamefully admit I didn't want those events to steal my thunder. Literally, I want to finish, publish, market, and distribute this book around the world first."
- "Rather than stealing their thunder, that strategy has served only to make them look to more and more voters like an increasingly viable and legitimate option."
Etymology
Based on a 1704 quote of John Dennis, a literary critic and playwright, who invented a novel method for creating a sound effect for thunder. The play in which he first introduced this method flopped. When the next play shown in the theatre, Macbeth, used his technique for simulating thunder, Dennis was reported in the press as jumping up and crying "How these rascals use me! They will not have my play, yet steal my thunder."