Definitions

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

This is not an ad for life insurance, but rather a cautionary tale.

From MarketWatch • May 27, 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

Watch the cautionary tale about the perils of the transfer portal turn into a fairy-tale comeback.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 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