Idiom
Burst your bubble
To burst someone's bubble means to spoil their happy mood or belief by telling them an unwelcome truth.
How people use it
People often say it as an apology before giving bad news: "I hate to burst your bubble, but..." It is used about hopes, plans and pleasant beliefs that turn out to be wrong. The tone is informal and usually gentle. A common variant is "pop someone's bubble." The phrase suggests the person was enjoying an illusion, so it is softer than saying they were simply wrong.
Also said: burst someone's bubble, pop your bubble.
Examples
- I hate to burst your bubble, but the beach is closed this weekend.
- Grace didn't want to burst her son's bubble about the magic trick.
- The test results burst his bubble, since he thought he had aced it.
Where it comes from
The image is a soap bubble, which is pretty but bursts at the slightest touch. English has long used "bubble" for something fragile, empty or unreal, as in a financial bubble. The idiom "burst someone's bubble" became common in American English in the 1900s.
Check yourself
1. Why would someone say, "Sorry to burst your bubble"?
Answer: They are about to share disappointing news. Bursting someone's bubble means ending their happy belief with a hard truth.
2. Which sentence uses the idiom correctly?
Answer: I didn't want to burst Ana's bubble, but her favorite cafe had closed.. The closing cafe is bad news that spoils her happy plan.
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