Idiom
cut down the tall poppy
Meaning
To belittle or undermine someone who is perceived as superior or more successful and accomplished.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Examples
“Some people love to cut down the tall poppy in their office.”
“When the young manager received a promotion, jealous colleagues tried to cut down the tall poppy by criticizing her work.”
“In a culture that values conformity above all else, the community often seeks to cut down the tall poppy who dares to stand out from the crowd.”
Examples
simple
“Some people love to cut down the tall poppy in their office.”
contextual
“When the young manager received a promotion, jealous colleagues tried to cut down the tall poppy by criticizing her work.”
complex
“In a culture that values conformity above all else, the community often seeks to cut down the tall poppy who dares to stand out from the crowd.”
Key words
Related idioms
- Updated