cautionary tale

American  

[kaw-shuh-ner-ee teyl] / ˈkɔ ʃəˌnɛr i ˈteɪl /

noun

1. a story, experience, or situation that serves as a warning to others.

   The malware's devastating effect on her files became a cautionary tale about the importance of antivirus software.

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Etymology

Origin of cautionary tale

First recorded in 1810–20

Example Sentences

Cliff Kuang and Robert Fabricant open their book User Friendly with the cautionary tale of the Three Mile Island nuclear disaster.

From Slate • Apr. 4, 2026

He long served as a moral exemplar; he should now serve as a cautionary tale known to all.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026

The fallout can serve as a cautionary tale for the industry, experts who spoke to the BBC say.

From BBC • Mar. 21, 2026

There is a cautionary tale here for the U.S. today as it squares off against China.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 10, 2026

With this cautionary tale in mind, let us begin by asking a question which seems too obvious to need asking but is in fact an essential preliminary: What is a machine?

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton