wolves in sheep's clothing

Cultural

A metaphor for false prophets, adapted from words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount: “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”

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.

We can use a similar standard to deal with wolves in sheep’s clothing in the dating arena.

From Washington Post • Nov. 16, 2018

But this sordid scenario is yet another reminder about wolves in sheep’s clothing.

From Washington Times • Apr. 4, 2018

These wolves in sheep's clothing need to be exposed for what they are.

From US News • Sep. 28, 2015

And yet jumpsuits often lurk around dresses and pants online, masquerading as the kind of item you ordinarily buy—two-legged wolves in sheep’s clothing.

From Slate • Jul. 24, 2015

Jesus said: "Beware of wolves in sheep's clothing."

From The Use and Need of the Life of Carry A. Nation by Nation, Carry Amelia

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