rain on someone's parade
/reɪn ɒn ˈsʌmwʌnz pəˈreɪd/
Meaning
This expression means to spoil someone's plans, ruin their excitement, or dampen their enthusiasm for something. It is often used when delivering bad news or pointing out a flaw in someone's happy moment, usually with a polite disclaimer like 'I don't mean to...'
Examples
-
I hate to rain on your parade, but the concert has been postponed until next month.
I hate to rain on your parade, but the concert has been postponed until next month.
-
She was so excited about her vacation that I didn't want to rain on her parade by telling her about the storm.
She was so excited about her vacation that I didn't want to rain on her parade by telling her about the storm.
-
Don't rain on my parade—I worked really hard on this project and I want to celebrate!
Don't rain on my parade—I worked really hard on this project and I want to celebrate!
-
He always finds a way to rain on everyone's parade with his negative attitude.
He always finds a way to rain on everyone's parade with his negative attitude.
-
I am sorry to rain on your parade, but we actually do not have budget for a launch party.
I am sorry to rain on your parade, but we actually do not have budget for a launch party.
Common Mistakes
-
✗ I don't want to rain your parade.
✓ I don't want to rain on your parade.
The preposition 'on' is essential. Skipping 'on' makes the idiom grammatically incorrect.
-
✗ The bad weather rained on our parade.
✓ The bad weather ruined our plans.
While this idiom can metaphorically refer to events, it is primarily used for people spoiling others' mood or excitement. Using it to describe actual rain is redundant and misses the figurative meaning.
Related Expressions
Practice
-
I don't want to ___ , but the tickets are already sold out.
💡 Use the second-person possessive form of the idiom.
Show answer
rain on your parade
-
Why do you always have to ___ when I have good news?
💡 Use the first-person possessive form of the idiom.
Show answer
rain on my parade