Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Jump To:
  • Out of the frying pan, into the fire
    Out of the frying pan, into the fire
    Going from a bad situation to one that is even worse.
  • out of the frying pan into the fire
    out of the frying pan into the fire
    From a bad situation to one that is much worse. For example, After Karen quit the first law firm she went to one with even longer hours—out of the frying pan into the fire. This expression, a proverb in many languages, was first recorded in English in 1528.

Out of the frying pan, into the fire

Cultural  
  1. Going from a bad situation to one that is even worse.


out of the frying pan into the fire Idioms  
  1. From a bad situation to one that is much worse. For example, After Karen quit the first law firm she went to one with even longer hours—out of the frying pan into the fire. This expression, a proverb in many languages, was first recorded in English in 1528.


Discover More

This saying often refers to the necessity of making a choice between equally difficult options.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

If so, it is no mean illustration of the sagacity of the unfortunate fish, that, in attempting to escape his inevitable fate, "jumped out of the frying-pan into the fire."

From Rambles by Land and Water or Notes of Travel in Cuba and Mexico by Norman, B. M.

It would be like jumping out of the frying-pan into the fire.

From The Vast Abyss The Story of Tom Blount, his Uncles and his Cousin Sam by Fenn, George Manville

In a French port it would be useless, as I should only tumble out of the frying-pan into the fire, or find myself among enemies.

From Paddy Finn by Webb, Archibald

Craning forward from the saddle I looked in the direction of the town, muttering to myself: "It may be out of the frying-pan into the fire."

From Orrain A Romance by Levett-Yeats, S.

You’ve got out of the frying-pan into the fire, let me tell you.

From Paul Gerrard The Cabin Boy by Kingston, William Henry Giles

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "Out of the frying pan, into the fire" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com