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Steal one's thunder

Idiomatic Phrase
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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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

To take credit for someone else’s idea or overshadow their moment.

Detailed Definition
From playwright John Dennis, whose thunder machine was reused by rivals after his play flopped. In poetry, it critiques plagiarism, appropriation, or competitive erasure. Feminist and marginalized poets use it to name stolen labor—ideas, styles, voices co-opted by dominant groups. The meteorological metaphor (thunder = impact, voice) links originality to natural force. Poets leverage its dramatic origin to explore authorship, legacy, and the violence of invisibility—making it vital in works demanding attribution and space for authentic expression.
Example
Example in poetry:
Literary theft: “He stole my thunder—published my metaphor as his breakthrough”; Credit denial: “Advisor stole student’s thunder—presented thesis as department idea”; Cultural appropriation: “Pop star stole thunder—Indigenous chant as ‘inspiration’”; Innovation envy: “Rival stole thunder—launched app weeks after my pitch”.
Additional Notes
From playwright John Dennis, whose thunder machine was reused by rivals after his play flopped. In poetry, it critiques plagiarism, appropriation, or competitive erasure. Feminist and marginalized poets use it to name stolen labor—ideas, styles, voices co-opted by dominant groups. The meteorological metaphor (thunder = impact, voice) links originality to natural force. Students should analyze how poets leverage its dramatic origin to explore authorship, legacy, and the violence of invisibility—making it vital in works demanding attribution and space for authentic expression in a culture of extraction.
Also Known As
Take credit Hijack attention
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