Synonyms of sour grapes

sour grapes

plural noun

as in hostility

informal unfair criticism that comes from someone who is disappointed about not getting something

His remarks are nothing but sour grapes.

Related Words

• hostility
• jealousy
• virulency
• rudeness
• acidity
• malice
• bitterness
• resentment
• gruffness
• acidness
• pique
• venom
• virulence
• mordancy
• bile
• corrosiveness
• harshness
• severity
• anger
• nastiness
• vitriol
• sternness
• acrimony
• tartness
• sourness
• spite
• discourteousness
• acridity
• coldness
• vehemence
• relentlessness
• asperity
• cattiness
• impoliteness
• acridness
• animosity
• crossness
• incivility
• scorn
• iciness
• jaundice
• malevolence
• vindictiveness
• surliness
• spleen
• ungraciousness
• rancor
• gall

Dissimilar Words

• diplomacy
• sympathy
• kindness
• politeness
• courtesy
• sweetness
• warmth
• cordiality
• civility
• geniality
• compassion
• tenderness
• graciousness
• softness
• tactfulness
• smoothness
• urbanity
• suavity
• oiliness
• suaveness
• unctuousness

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of sour grapes

Yesterday, when asked about Musk’s criticism--which could sink the entire bill, if enough Senate Republicans like Ron Johnson and their constituents turn against it--the president chalked it up to sour grapes over the bill’s failure to extend EV tax credits. —Kelly Evans, CNBC, 6 June 2025

Conservatives who argue that President Joe Biden politicized the military by focusing on climate change and by advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion measures call these concerns, on the heels of Mr. Trump’s firings, sour grapes. —Anna Mulrine Grobe, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Mar. 2025

But Eagles Coach Nick Sirianni and others say the move to bar the shove has the whiff of sour grapes. —Victor Mather, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2025

The success gap between them prompted some to see Ebeling’s Instagram post as sour grapes. —E. Alex Jung, Vulture, 17 Dec. 2024