sour grapes
plural noun
: disparagement of something that has proven unattainable
his criticisms are just sour grapes
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web These were people protesting their rights being taken away, not people protesting over a sour grapes lost election. 
Chicago Tribune, 30 July 2022 All the clamoring about sourcing and so forth on social media, which could seem like petty sour grapes, was really about something much bigger. Amy Wilentz, The New Republic, 25 May 2022 It’s one of those things where people understand it’s sour grapes with Trump here. Washington Post, 16 Apr. 2022 And what about the time Jim Carrey, who failed to be nominated for his performance in The Truman Show, presented that year’s best editing award to Saving Private Ryan, making vino out of his good-natured sour grapes. Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 24 Mar. 2022 Paxton has not been charged and has sought to cast the accusations as sour grapes. Gregory Krieg, CNN, 25 Feb. 2022 That’s certainly true for me, and my saying that is not sour grapes. al, 26 Oct. 2021 For one, the optics of trying to change the recall process after someone was successfully recalled gave the impression of sour grapes, Kousser said. San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Sep. 2021 That’s sour grapes, and all people care about is the score, to be honest with you. BostonGlobe.com, 10 Aug. 2021 See More
Chicago Tribune, 30 July 2022 All the clamoring about sourcing and so forth on social media, which could seem like petty sour grapes, was really about something much bigger. Amy Wilentz, The New Republic, 25 May 2022 It’s one of those things where people understand it’s sour grapes with Trump here. Washington Post, 16 Apr. 2022 And what about the time Jim Carrey, who failed to be nominated for his performance in The Truman Show, presented that year’s best editing award to Saving Private Ryan, making vino out of his good-natured sour grapes. Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 24 Mar. 2022 Paxton has not been charged and has sought to cast the accusations as sour grapes. Gregory Krieg, CNN, 25 Feb. 2022 That’s certainly true for me, and my saying that is not sour grapes. al, 26 Oct. 2021 For one, the optics of trying to change the recall process after someone was successfully recalled gave the impression of sour grapes, Kousser said. San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Sep. 2021 That’s sour grapes, and all people care about is the score, to be honest with you. BostonGlobe.com, 10 Aug. 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
from the fable ascribed to Aesop of the fox who after finding himself unable to reach some grapes he had desired disparaged them as sour
First Known Use
1760, in the meaning defined above
sour grapes
plural noun
as in hostility
informal unfair criticism that comes from someone who is disappointed about not getting something His remarks are nothing but sour grapes. Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- hostility
- jealousy
- virulency
- rudeness
- acidity
- malice
- mordancy
- acidness
- pique
- gruffness
- bitterness
- virulence
- resentment
- venom
- corrosiveness
- bile
- severity
- anger
- harshness
- discourteousness
- vitriol
- sternness
- nastiness
- acrimony
- sourness
- spite
- tartness
- coldness
- acridity
- vehemence
- impoliteness
- relentlessness
- animosity
- scorn
- crossness
- cattiness
- incivility
- acridness
- jaundice
- malevolence
- iciness
- asperity
- vindictiveness
- ungraciousness
- surliness
- spleen
- rancor
- gall
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- diplomacy
- sympathy
- politeness
- kindness
- sweetness
- warmth
- softness
- tenderness
- compassion
- geniality
- courtesy
- civility
- graciousness
- tactfulness
- smoothness
- cordiality
- urbanity
- suavity
- oiliness
- suaveness
- unctuousness