cautionary tale

American  

[kaw-shuh-ner-ee tayl] / 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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cautionary tale

"It's a cautionary tale about how stellar activity can mimic planet signals using the radial velocity."

From Science Daily ● Oct. 30, 2026

She serves merely as a cautionary tale, when it’s already too late for our protagonists.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2026

Here’s a cautionary tale, which your readers may find of interest in light of that story.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 5, 2026

Bad Bunny's song addresses the loss of local control through the impact of tourism, gentrification and displacement -- using Hawaii as a cautionary tale for Puerto Ricans.

From Barron's ● Sep. 29, 2026

I guess they all expected to see her folded into a casket like some kind of cautionary tale.

From "Dumplin'" by Julie Murphy

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