eat crow

Cultural  

1. To suffer a humiliating experience: “The organizers had to eat crow when the fair they had sworn would attract thousands drew scarcely a hundred people.” The phrase probably refers to the fact that crow meat tastes terrible.

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eat crow Idioms  

1. Also,. Be forced to admit a humiliating mistake, as in When the reporter got the facts all wrong, his editor made him eat crow. The first term's origin has been lost, although a story relates that it involved a War of 1812 encounter in which a British officer made an American soldier eat part of a crow he had shot in British territory. Whether or not it is true, the fact remains that crow meat tastes terrible. The two variants originated in Britain. Dirt obviously tastes bad. And humble pie alludes to a pie made from umbles, a deer's undesirable innards (heart, liver, entrails). [Early 1800s] Also see eat one's words.

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Example Sentences

“I’ve had to eat crow, because it became big all over the world.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026

When Watters responded, "This is garbage," Graham was forced to eat crow.

From Salon • Apr. 2, 2023

She doesn’t think control of the House will rest on the 3rd District outcome, adding if a Kent loss does cost the GOP a majority, “I will eat crow and feel real bad.”

From Seattle Times • Oct. 11, 2022

But it didn’t happen last season, and anyone who doesn’t want to eat crow should bet against this being the year that Father Time catches up to Ovechkin.

From Washington Times • Sep. 21, 2022

I was cheered up when a letter arrived from Luria that the situation might be smoothed over if we appeared to eat crow.

From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson