STEALING SOMEONE’S THUNDER

To steal someone’s thunder is to take attention away from them by pre-empting their attempt to impress.

 Examples of use:

 “In 1999, she returned to the Eurovision stage and stole the winners’ thunder by falling over on stage when about to hand Sweden their trophy.”

 “Cheeky page boy steals bride’s thunder by giving the flower girl a kiss at just the right moment”

 “It was a performance which stole much of the thunder on the final day of the championship from newly crowned Grand Slam champions Wales”


 The phrase was coined by critic and playwright John Dennis (1657–1734), who invented a new method of simulating the sound of thunder in the theatre and used it in his play “Appius and Virginia.” Shortly after this unsuccessful play completed a brief run, Dennis attended a performance of Macbeth, which used his thunder simulation. He was reported to have angrily exclaimed, “Damn them! They will not let my play run, but they steal my thunder.” [1]


 [1] “steal” in Oxford Dictionary of English Idioms, edited by Ayto, John. Oxford University Press, 2009.

 Photo credit: Iraia Martínez