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

See Examples For:

cautionary tale

It is a cautionary tale that points to the potential profit and pitfalls when small local businesses push back against the onslaught of e-commerce by using technology to reach a wider audience.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026

That’s understandable, but I’m inclined to view this episode as a cautionary tale, one repeated far too often in American history.

From Salon ● Aug. 31, 2026

Sam Adams reviews this cautionary tale of corporate greed and explains how the story of the movie’s release came to mirror the one it was telling.

From Slate ● Aug. 27, 2026

When the Situational Awareness fund unraveled last month, veterans on Wall Street saw it as the latest cautionary tale of hubris.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 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