taking the wind out of someone's sails

A form of take the wind out of someone's sails — To discourage someone greatly; to cause someone to lose hope or the will to continue; to thwart or minimize someone's ambitions.

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Meanings

verb
  1. gerundparticiplepresentpresent participle and gerund of take the wind out of someone's sails
Cite this entry
APA

taking the wind out of someone's sails. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/taking%20the%20wind%20out%20of%20someone's%20sails

MLA

“taking the wind out of someone's sails.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/taking%20the%20wind%20out%20of%20someone's%20sails. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “taking the wind out of someone's sails,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/taking%20the%20wind%20out%20of%20someone's%20sails.

Source: taking the wind out of someone's sails on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.