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.

"I hope I'll be a cautionary tale to someone who's in my position to make better choices."

From BBC • May 27, 2026

The 2021 “transitory” episode is a relevant cautionary tale.

From MarketWatch • May 8, 2026

I mean, the cautionary tale in a way for me is how well the intelligence committee often does work in the Senate.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

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

Each time he had given those unsettling warnings, he had been airing out his own trauma, distancing himself from it by reducing it to a cautionary tale.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros