“The Emperor's New Clothes”

Cultural  

1. A story by Hans Christian Andersen. An emperor hires two tailors who promise to make him a set of remarkable new clothes that will be invisible to anyone who is either incompetent or stupid. When the emperor goes to see his new clothes, he sees nothing at all — for the tailors are swindlers and there aren't any clothes. Afraid of being judged incompetent or stupid, the emperor pretends to be delighted with the new clothes and “wears” them in a grand parade through the town. Everyone else also pretends to see them, until a child yells out, “He hasn't got any clothes on!”

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People who point out the emptiness of the pretensions of powerful people and institutions are often compared to the child who says that the emperor has no clothes.

Example Sentences

When the little boy in Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Emperor’s New Clothes” blurts out that the emperor is naked, he says what people already knew.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 2, 2025

“The Emperor’s New Clothes” felt especially enjoyable to a boy growing up in the immediate aftermath of the British Empire.

From New York Times • May 24, 2021

It’s “The Emperor’s New Clothes” all over again.

From Washington Post • Dec. 12, 2019

Sutherland says her adaptation of “The Emperor's New Clothes” caused relatively few problems.

From US News • Mar. 10, 2016

The series, for ages 6 and older, ends this week with two Andersen stories: “The Emperor’s New Clothes” and “The Shadow.”

From New York Times • Sep. 27, 2012