eat your words

Meaning

To admit that something you said in the past was completely wrong, usually because subsequent events have proven the opposite. It carries a slightly embarrassing or humbling tone for the person who has to do it.

Examples

• I said he would never succeed, but now I have to eat my words.

  I said he would never succeed, but now I have to eat my words.

• She made him eat his words when she won the championship easily.

  She made him eat his words when she won the championship easily.

• You'll eat your words when you see how amazing my new project is.

  You'll eat your words when you see how amazing my new project is.

• He predicted a disaster, but the event was a huge success, forcing him to eat his words.

  He predicted a disaster, but the event was a huge success, forcing him to eat his words.

• I had to eat my words after claiming that the movie would be terrible.

  I had to eat my words after claiming that the movie would be terrible.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I will eat my talks if I am wrong.

  ✓ I will eat my words if I am wrong.

  The idiom strictly uses 'words'. 'Talks' or 'speeches' cannot be substituted.

• ✗ He swallowed his words when he lost the bet.

  ✓ He ate his words when he lost the bet.

  'Swallow your words' means to refrain from saying something or take back something said under breath. 'Eat your words' is the correct idiom for admitting you were wrong.

Related Expressions

Practice

• If our team wins tomorrow, you'll have to ___.

  💡 Admit you were wrong.

  Show answer

  eat your words

• I thought she was lazy, but her hard work made me ___.

  💡 Adjust the pronoun to match 'me'.

  Show answer

  eat my words