kill the messenger
Punish news deliverer
Kill the messenger means to blame or punish the bearer of bad news rather than addressing the news itself.
The phrase comes from the ancient practice of executing messengers who brought unfavorable reports.
It's usually invoked as a warning against this tendency: Don't kill the messenger—I'm just telling you what the boss said.
The impulse to shoot the messenger persists in politics, business, and personal relationships.
- scapegoatUnfairly blamed person
- blamedHeld at fault
- punishedPenalized for misbehavior
- admonishReprove with counsel
- whistleblowerInsider who reports misconduct
pass the buck · martyrdom · intimidate · rationalize · damage control · suppress · retaliation · deflection · turn a blind eye · victimization · blame game · parable · persecution · bad news · take the fall · muzzle · silence · accusation
kill the messengerface the music
Accept deserved consequences
take it on the chin · look in the mirror · face facts · bite the bullet · shoot the messenger
kill the messengertake responsibility
Accept fault for outcomes
take ownership · look in the mirror · look inward · self-examination · learn from mistakes
kill the messengerface the music
Accept deserved consequences
face facts · open-door policy · truth-seeking · intellectual honesty
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