Pandora's box

American  

noun

1. a source of extensive but unforeseen troubles or problems.

   The senate investigation turned out to be a Pandora's box for the administration.

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Pandora's box Cultural  

1. In classical mythology, a box that Zeus gave to Pandora, the first woman, with strict instructions that she not open it. Pandora's curiosity soon got the better of her, and she opened the box. All the evils and miseries of the world flew out to afflict mankind.

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Pandora's box Idioms  

1. A source of unforeseen trouble, as in Revising the tax code is opening a Pandora's box. This equivalent for the modern can of worms comes from the Greek legend in which Pandora, entrusted with a box containing the world's ills, is overcome by curiosity and opens it, thereby releasing them. [Late 1500s]

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Discover More

To “open a Pandora's box” is to create an uncontrollable situation that will cause great grief.

Etymology

Origin of Pandora's box

First recorded in 1570–80

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Pandora's box

The Dodgers had opened Pandora’s box, and out would fly a lockout, a pall of smoke over their games, and a plague of locusts.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026

“A bigger rift with the U.S. obviously will open a huge Pandora’s box and both sides will try to avoid it.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026

"The US has really opened a Pandora's box for the Gulf states," Thafer said.

From Barron's ● Apr. 24, 2026

"Vietnam opened a Pandora's box," says another Thai trade official.

From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2025

That night I kept thinking about Pandora's box.

From "Walk Two Moons" by Sharon Creech