Meaning Take the credit for something someone else did.
Usage Worldwide.
Example
- Joseph Swan had the first working lightbulb but Edison filed the first patent and effectively stole Swan's thunder.
Pronunciation
Idiom
Steal someones thunder
What does "Steal someones thunder" mean?
Take the credit for something someone else did.
Steal someones thunder
Britain, early 18th century. From a reference to the machines used in theatres to make the sound of thunder.