cut down the tall poppy

verb

To belittle or undermine someone who is perceived as superior or more successful and accomplished.

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Meanings

verbcut down the tall poppy (third-person singular simple present cuts down the tall poppy, present participle cutting down the tall poppy, simple past and past participle cut down the tall poppy)

present singular third person cuts down the tall poppy · participle present cutting down the tall poppy

  1. idiomaticinformalTo belittle or undermine someone who is perceived as superior or more successful and accomplished.
Cite this entry
APA

cut down the tall poppy. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cut%20down%20the%20tall%20poppy

MLA

“cut down the tall poppy.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cut%20down%20the%20tall%20poppy. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cut down the tall poppy,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cut%20down%20the%20tall%20poppy.

Source: cut down the tall poppy on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.