Esprit De L'escalier (Noun)
Meaning
A witty remark that occurs to you too late.
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Examples
- As I walked away from the argument, I thought of the perfect comeback, but it was just another case of esprit de l'escalier.
- She often experienced esprit de l'escalier, thinking of clever responses to her boss's criticisms hours after the meeting was over.
- He had a great idea for a witty retort, but it only occurred to him as he was walking out the door, a classic case of esprit de l'escalier.
- The comedian's jokes often relied on quick thinking, but even he was not immune to the occasional bout of esprit de l'escalier.
- It wasn't until she was on her way home that she thought of the perfect thing to say, but by then it was just a frustrating example of esprit de l'escalier.