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

The willingness of the state to use force to break strikes proved a cautionary tale.

From The Wall Street Journal

At the beginning of the series, setting the table for what’s to come, Marian declares, “This is not a story in the conventional sense”; it’s “a cautionary tale,” but “not a tale of murder. This is a story of rebirth,” presumably hers.

From Los Angeles Times

This holiday season, as families gather for Thanksgiving and winter celebrations, I’m hoping to serve as your cautionary tale with this excerpt from my new book, “My Mother’s Money: A Guide to Financial Caregiving,” so that you can be better prepared to handle your loved ones’ worldly affairs as you continue to make meaningful memories with them.

From MarketWatch

This is indeed a cautionary tale: Always request and keep a formal summary plan description and certificate of coverage of all retirement plans and life-insurance policies, together with the last benefits confirmation statement.

From MarketWatch

In India's febrile and deeply divided political marketplace, his debut, many believe, stands as a cautionary tale: breaking into the system is far harder than diagnosing its flaws from the outside.

From BBC