Showing results for teachable moment. Search instead for valuable moments.

teachable moment

American

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

noun

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.

Etymology

Origin of teachable moment

First recorded in 1935–40

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.

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

I thought Buzz could get a lot out of a teachable moment.

From "Liar, Liar" by Gary Paulsen

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023