the shoe is on the other foot
phrase
—used to say that a situation has changed to the opposite of what it was before
I used to boss my little sister around. Now the shoe is on the other foot and she bosses me around.
The shoe is on the other foot and he is the one asking for help this time.
Cite this Entry
“The shoe is on the other foot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20shoe%20is%20on%20the%20other%20foot. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
