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

I mean, the cautionary tale in a way for me is how well the intelligence committee often does work in the Senate.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

Spirit’s collapse is a cautionary tale for people who hoard company loyalty points, said Katy Nastro, a travel expert at the travel site Going.

From MarketWatch • May 4, 2026

The sport has already lived through the cautionary tale of Floyd Mayweather v Manny Pacquiao, which shattered records when it finally happened but fell flat.

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026

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

Recounted in numberless articles and books, the Maya collapse has become an ecological parable for green activists; along with Pleistocene overkill, it is a favorite cautionary tale about surpassing the limits of Nature.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann