teachable moment

American  

[tee-chuh-buhl moh-muhnt] / ˈti tʃə bəl ˈmoʊ mənt /

noun

1. a specific occurrence, situation, or experience that can be used to teach people about something more general.

   Her death created a teachable moment about prescription drug abuse.

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Etymology

Origin of teachable moment

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

Still, this is a teachable moment — a warning for both of you to keep on top of your credit-card statements.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 20, 2026

That line stayed with me when I spoke to Gregory Rogers, a criminal-justice lecturer and former FBI agent who’s been trying to turn the assassination into a teachable moment.

From Slate • Oct. 30, 2025

"When parents feel they've set a bad example, they have a valuable opportunity to turn the situation into a teachable moment."

From Science Daily • Nov. 18, 2024

Since Trump won the presidency last week, Biden and his team have made a point of highlighting their cooperation, which they see as a teachable moment in a public civics lesson.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 13, 2024

When Sarah and Daniel and I run through our allowances and ask to borrow money from our folks, we get a huge lecture, and then they make it a teachable moment.

From "Liar, Liar" by Gary Paulsen