Home › Glossary › Letter S

Shoot The Messenger

Idiomatic Phrase
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

An idiomatic phrase warning against blaming or punishing an innocent person simply because they delivered unwelcome or bad news.

Detailed Definition
The phrase recalls a messenger attacked for bringing information the ruler dislikes. In poetry, the messenger may be a child, bird, mirror, scientist, or grieving witness. The expression exposes a recurring human cruelty: when truth wounds, people may strike its carrier. A poem can therefore turn communication into a dangerous journey across fear, power, and blame.
Example
Example in poetry:
When the news is painful, the king blames the messenger instead of facing the truth; The poem shows the crowd shoot the messenger by silencing the child who reports the flood; A modern speaker may shoot the messenger metaphorically by attacking a critic who points out a flaw; The phrase warns poets to distinguish between an unpleasant message and the person who delivers it.
Additional Notes
“Shoot the messenger” means blaming or harming the person who brings bad news instead of addressing its cause. The phrase highlights an unfair response to information. It is related to scapegoating and serves as a warning to encourage honest communication.
Also Known As
Blame The Messenger Don't Shoot The Messenger
Skip to main content