Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
to rain on someone's parade

to rain on someone's parade

1 7.4
Make someone less happy or excited by pointing out problems
  • idiom
  • /reɪn ɑn ˈsʌmˌwʌnz pəˈreɪd/
  • Informal
translation icon : aguar la fiesta
  • I mean, something good finally happens to me, and he just has to come along and rain on my parade.

Examples

  • Once again, Bob is trying to rain on everyone's parade.

    Blog text (4)

  • I don't wanna rain on your parade, but we're not gonna last 17 hours.

    Aliens (1986)

  • You'd come in and try to rain on my parade.

    Major League: Back to the Minors (1998)

  • Didn't want to rain on your parade, man.

    Serendipity (2001)

  • Why must you rain on someone's parade?

    Blog text (31)

  • Nobody's raining on your parade.

    The Last Boy Scout (1991)

  • Yeah, well, I hate to rain on your parade- you just don't quit the police force without somebody noticing, man.

    Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever (2009)

  • I mean, I don't mean to rain on your parade or nothing, but those places and the people who run them, they just talk it up to get the likes of you out here.

    Gold (2022)

  • Don't want to rain on your parade here, but I don't think this is gonna stop Dr. Nichols from announcing the discovery of the page tomorrow.

    National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007)

  • I don't want to rain on your parade, but it's important to consider the problems before making a decision.

Synonyms

to ruin the mood
vsto rain on someone's parade
  • Informal
3 4.1

Make people feel less happy in a situation

often implies this happens through criticism or objections
to throw cold water on
vsto rain on someone's parade
  • Informal
2 7.4

Make people less excited about an idea or plan by saying bad things about it

can also refer to spoiling someone's plans or joy by criticism
to pour cold water on
vsto rain on someone's parade
  • Informal
1 7.4

Make someone feel less excited about an idea or plan

also covers spoiling plans or happiness by pointing out problems
to piss in someone's cornflakes
vsto rain on someone's parade
  • Offensive
9.9

To spoil someone's good mood by being negative or critical

is neutral and often stresses spoiling by criticizing
to shit in someone's cereal
vsto rain on someone's parade
  • Offensive
9.9

To spoil someone's good mood or stop them enjoying something

is the neutral form and often implies spoilage by criticizing
to take the jam out of someone's doughnut
vsto rain on someone's parade
  • Informal
9.9

To make someone feel disappointed or upset

focuses more on criticizing or pointing out problems to spoil mood
to burst someone's bubble
vsto rain on someone's parade
  • Informal
6.3

Tell someone that something they hoped for is not true

usually spoils plans or mood by criticizing or pointing out problems
to overset someone's plans
vsto rain on someone's parade
7.7

To ruin someone's plans by making them fail or change suddenly

spoils plans or mood by criticizing or pointing out problems rather than disruption

Antonyms

to encourage
∞ 2.3

Give someone support and confidence so they try or keep doing something

to cheer
356 1.0

To shout to show support for someone or something

Surface Forms

rain on someone's parade infinitive
rained on someone's parade past
rained on someone's parade past participle
raining on someone's parade present participle
rains on someone's parade third person singular

Morphology

rain + on + someone's + parade

The image of rain spoiling a parade makes the intended meaning (spoiling someone's plans or enjoyment) inferable from the literal words, but it requires a metaphorical mapping from a concrete event to abstract plans or feelings. Because the connection is a clear but figurative extension rather than fully compositional, this item is partially predictable for learners who know the constituents.

Etymology

Rain on someone's parade comes from the picture of rain falling on a parade, soaking costumes and ruining the celebration. So it means 'to spoil someone's plans or happiness'.