cautionary tale

[kaw-shuh-ner-ee teyl] / ˈkɔ ʃəˌnɛr i ˈteɪl /

NOUN

piece of advice

Synonyms

WEAK

a few words of wisdom admonition advisory caution light caveat deterrent example enough said event illustrating a hazard forewarning hint lesson message moral omen portent red flag sign of things to come wake-up call warning word to the wise

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.

Spirit’s collapse is a cautionary tale for people who hoard company loyalty points, said Katy Nastro, a travel expert at the travel site Going.

From MarketWatch • May 4, 2026

While “Lord of the Flies” remains a tragic and cautionary tale, Thorne, who first tried adapting it 15 years ago, sees glimpses of hope in it.

From Los Angeles Times • May 4, 2026

The bestselling memoir has become a cautionary tale of financial naiveté.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

Cliff Kuang and Robert Fabricant open their book User Friendly with the cautionary tale of the Three Mile Island nuclear disaster.

From Slate • Apr. 4, 2026

I think maybe I’m missing some kind of self-preservation alarm in my head because this has cautionary tale written all over it.

From "Dumplin'" by Julie Murphy