Sour Grapes

Pronunciation: /saʊr ɡreɪps/

Definitions of sour grapes

noun a metaphorical phrase referring to someone who disparages something that they cannot have or achieve

Example Sentences

A1 She said she didn't want the dessert because it was sour grapes.

A2 The team lost the game but they claimed it was just sour grapes.

B1 After not getting the promotion, he accused his colleague of sour grapes.

B2 The politician's speech was filled with accusations of sour grapes towards his opponents.

C1 The artist dismissed the negative reviews of his latest work as mere sour grapes from jealous critics.

C2 The CEO's comments about the competitor's new product were seen as sour grapes by industry analysts.

Examples of sour grapes in a Sentence

formal The competitor's criticism of the winning team's performance is nothing but sour grapes.

informal She's just mad because she didn't get the promotion - it's all sour grapes.

slang Stop being so salty about it, it's just sour grapes.

figurative His sour grapes attitude towards the situation is not helping anyone.

Grammatical Forms of sour grapes

• past tense: soured
• plural: sour grapes
• comparative: more sour
• superlative: most sour
• present tense: sour grapes
• future tense: will sour grapes
• perfect tense: have soured grapes
• continuous tense: is souring grapes
• singular: sour grape
• positive degree: sour grapes
• infinitive: to sour grapes
• gerund: souring grapes
• participle: sour grapes

Origin and Evolution of sour grapes

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: English

Story behind the word: The phrase 'sour grapes' originates from one of Aesop's fables, specifically 'The Fox and the Grapes'. In this fable, a fox tries to reach some grapes hanging high on a vine but fails to do so. He then walks away, claiming that the grapes were sour anyway.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the phrase 'sour grapes' has come to represent a situation where someone disparages something that they desire but cannot have, often out of envy or bitterness. The meaning has evolved from the literal interpretation in Aesop's fable to a metaphorical expression for rationalizing disappointment or rejection.