sour grapes
Things that somebody pretends to despise because they cannot obtain or have them.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“He says he hates the prize, but that is just sour grapes.”
“She claims she did not want the promotion anyway, but it sounds like sour grapes to me.”
“His dismissive critique of the award-winning film appeared to be nothing more than sour grapes after his own project was rejected.”
The term originates from the ancient Greek fabulist Aesop and his narrative The Fox and the Grapes. In the story, a fox finds himself unable to reach a cluster of grapes hanging from a high vine and, after several failed attempts to jump for them, chooses to depart. To manage the inconvenience of his failure, the animal declares that the grapes were likely sour and therefore not worth the effort of acquisition.
The phrase has functioned in English as a shorthand for the disparagement of things one cannot obtain. It describes the precise moment when an unattainable object is suddenly discovered to be of poor quality, a convenient shift in perspective that allows the frustrated party to preserve their dignity while leaving empty-handed.
- 01
grapes of wrath
A symbol of impending vengeance, especially in reference to the Last Judgment.
- 02
leave a sour taste in one's mouth
To give one an unpleasant feeling or memory.
- 03
sour note
A negative aspect to something mostly positive.
- 04
sour stomach
Indigestion.
- 05
sour tooth
A liking for foods that are sour.
Last updated August 10, 2026