can of worms

NOUN

complicated situation

Synonyms

WEAK

Gordian knot Pandora's box complex problem complexity complication difficult situation difficulty dog's breakfast entanglement hard nut to crack headache hornet's nest hot water mare's nest mess predicament problem quagmire quandary snafu snake pit snarl trouble troublesome problem unpredictable situation

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.

Because no matter how successful these ventures look from the outside, the truth is you take the lid off the can and inside it’s a can of worms.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 23, 2026

I am not sure the Premier League have thought this through, and they might have opened a can of worms here.

From BBC • Dec. 12, 2024

X gives blue-check verification to anyone willing to pay for its premium services; this has opened a can of worms, especially among pop culture and nostalgia accounts.

From Slate • Sep. 1, 2024

That’s a can of worms for future parasite research.

From Science Magazine • May 7, 2024

It seemed to me we ought to have brought some poles along, and a can of worms, considering our catch.

From "A Long Way from Chicago" by Richard Peck

can of worms

Example Sentences

Related Words