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.

---

Etymology

Origin of cautionary tale

First recorded in 1810–20

Example Sentences

"The news of its sale came as a cautionary tale of how precarious the Wordsworths' heritage in the Lake District has become," he said.

From BBC

These partnerships can be risky, regulators say, and the April 2024 collapse of Synapse Financial Technologies serves as a cautionary tale.

From MarketWatch

After decades of stagnant returns, Ciena shares have morphed from a cautionary tale into one of Wall Street’s hottest stocks.

From Barron's

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

From The Wall Street Journal

Fans might look upon the Tagovailoa situation as a cautionary tale of handing out a big contract to a player who was no slam dunk.

From MarketWatch