Meaning of sour grapes | Babel Free

Definitions

1. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see sour, grapes.
   plural, plural-only
2. Things that somebody pretends to despise because they cannot obtain or have them.
   idiomatic, plural, plural-only
3. A putting down or expression of disdain about something that one desires but cannot have.
   idiomatic, plural, plural-only

Equivalents

Examples

“I think his comments about that new car are just sour grapes because he can't afford it.”

“Despite the egos of individual scientists, the jealousies and the sour grapes, science had worked pretty much the way it was supposed to.”

“His absence was a grievous setback for Liverpool, who had looked the more dangerous team until that point, and it would not be sour grapes for the losers to think that was the moment the game started to swing away from them.”

CEFR level