Steal my thunder

Definitions

to take credit for someone else's idea or achievement
Expressing frustration or annoyance when someone else takes credit for something you have done or said
to overshadow or outshine someone or something
Describing a situation where someone else's success or attention diminishes the impact or significance of your own achievement or announcement

Examples of Steal my thunder

During the team's presentation, my coworker suddenly interrupted and made a bold statement, stealing the spotlight and stealing my thunder.

The idiom "steal my thunder" refers to taking away the impact or effect of someone else's actions, especially in a public or presentational context. In this example, my coworker's unexpected interruption and attention-grabbing statement overshadowed my own presentation and took away the impact I had planned to make, effectively stealing my thunder.
In order to avoid stealing the thunder of our keynote speaker, we decided to keep our introduction brief and simply introduce her.

Here, the phrase "to steal someone's thunder" is used in a proactive sense to prevent unwanted outcomes. In this example, the speaker wants to make sure that nobody else's remarks or actions will detract from the keynote speaker's presentation, and so they are careful to keep their own comments brief and unobtrusive, avoiding any action that might steal the speaker's thunder.
I had planned to announce a major development in our project, but my boss beat me to it, stealing my thunder once again.

In this example, the speaker had planned to make a significant announcement, but their boss preempted them, making a similar announcement before the speaker had the chance. This type of situation can be frustrating, as it can feel like the speaker's contributions are being overlooked or undervalued, as their thunder has been stolen by someone else.
When we launched our new product, we were careful to ensure that we were the first to market, so that no one could steal our thunder.

Here, the speaker refers to the idea that being the first to announce or launch something can help to establish a sense of authority and ownership over the concept, making it less likely that someone else will be able to steal their thunder. In this context, "thunder" refers to the sense of excitement, anticipation, and novelty that surrounds a new product or idea, and the speaker is concerned with ensuring that their product is able to capture and maintain this thunder, rather than having it stolen by a competitor or imitator.
Sarah had prepared a powerful presentation for the company's annual meeting, but when her boss unexpectedly announced the same ideas during his opening speech, Sarah felt like her thunder had been stolen.

To steal someone's thunder is to take credit for an idea, achievement, or speech that was originally intended for someone else. In this example, Sarah's boss's unexpected announcement made it seem as though he had come up with the same ideas, when in fact Sarah had already presented them. This expression emphasizes a sense of disappointment and frustration that arises from having one's efforts or achievements undermined by someone else.
Samantha had spent weeks perfecting her stand-up comedy routine, but when her friend showed up to the open mic night with a similar act, Samantha felt as though her thunder had been stolen.

This idiom can be used more broadly to describe situations where someone else takes credit or recognition for something that was originally intended for someone else. In this example, Samantha's friend's unexpected arrival and performance threatened to overshadow Samantha's own efforts, making her feel as though her hard work had been for nothing.
At the final round of the science fair, Jessica's experiment looked like it was going to win first place, but when her rival quietly slipped into the judges' room before them, Jessica realized that her thunder had been stolen.

This idiom is commonly used in academic or professional contexts where ideas, research, or presentations are being evaluated or judged. Jessica's rival's unexpected move made it seem as though he had heard Jessica's presentation and copied her ideas, giving him an unfair advantage. In this example, the expression highlights the anger and disappointment that comes from being outmaneuvered by a rival or competitor.
During the final moments of the basketball game, Julie's team was trailing by one point. She dribbled the ball down the court, expecting to make the winning shot, but just as she was about to shoot, her teammate secretly swiped the ball away and made the winning shot instead, stealing Julie's thunder.

This idiom is not always used to describe someone else taking credit for an achievement, but can also refer to sabotaging someone else's efforts. In this example, Julie's teammate's unexpected move made it seem as though he had taken away her opportunity to win the game, leaving her feeling disappointed and frustrated. This expression highlights the sense of betrayal that can result from being undermined by someone else, particularly when it comes to shared or collaborative efforts.

Conclusion

The idiom "steal my thunder" can be used to express both frustration and overshadowing. In the first meaning, it is about someone taking credit for your work, while in the second meaning, it is about someone else's success overshadowing your own.

Origin of "Steal my thunder"

The idiom "steal my thunder" has theatrical origins and dates back to the 1700s. It is attributed to the playwright John Dennis, who invented a new method of creating the sound of thunder for his play. However, his play was not successful, and another playwright used the same method in a successful production, essentially stealing Dennis' thunder. This led to the popularization of the phrase to describe someone taking credit for another's work. Over time, the idiom has evolved to also encompass the idea of being overshadowed or outshined by someone else's success.