steal thunder
Claim another's spotlight
To steal someone's thunder is to take credit for their idea or diminish their achievement by doing it first or drawing attention away from them.
The phrase comes from an 18th-century dramatist whose sound-effects technique for stage thunder was used by rivals without credit.
She announced her engagement at my birthday party and completely stole my thunder.
- upstageDivert attention from another
- spotlightConcentrated illumination source
- center stagePosition of maximum attention
- outshineExceed in brilliance
- gloryExalted honor and praise
attention · limelight · take credit · credit · overshadow · rain on parade · dramatic · applause · grand entrance · moment · rivalry · jealousy · grandstanding · showboat · headline · debut · announcement · revelation
- idiomstime flies, hit the sack, seize the day, ring a bell, break a leg
- Old Idiomsbeyond the pale, hue and cry, scot-free, knight in shining armor, eat humble pie
- Weather Idiomsunder the weather, when it rains it pours, come rain or shine, rain check, take a rain check
steal thundergive credit
Recognize someone's contribution
acknowledge · step aside · play second fiddle · take a back seat · amplify
steal thunderstep aside
Withdraw from a position
clear the way · give the floor · pass the baton · stay humble
steal, thunder, steals, stolen, stealing, stealer, stealers, stealthy, stealth