hornet's nest
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.
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Curiously, I never really got angry at the North Koreans, on the assumption that if you kick the hornet’s nest and get stung, you can’t really blame the hornets.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 19, 2026
The judges said when they directed the temple officials to produce complete files and records relating to the repair of the idols, "little did we realise, that we were in fact opening a hornet's nest".
From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2025
The first buzz is soft, like that of a hornet’s nest.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 3, 2023
David Guillemard, a striker who has worked at the Total refinery for 22 years, said the back-to-work order had kicked a hornet’s nest.
From New York Times ● Oct. 14, 2022
“Accuse you?” gasped Ranofer, aghast at the hornet’s nest he had stirred up.
From "The Golden Goblet" by Eloise Jarvis McGraw
"I very quickly realised that I had kicked a really nasty hornets' nest," Spinks told us.
From BBC ● Jan. 16, 2025
In the meantime, the committee acted as if it knew it was about to make history and stir up a hornets’ nest of trouble, passing the subpoena motion unanimously in four minutes with no debate.
From Slate ● Oct. 18, 2024
By Wednesday, he was in the center of a hornets’ nest.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 22, 2023
Such propositions might seem simple, but arguing against economic growth, Dr. Daly wrote in a foreword to Mr. Victor’s book, was like poking “a big hornets’ nest with a short stick.”
From New York Times ● Nov. 8, 2022
But these personal upheavals were minor compared with the hornets’ nest soon to be stirred by Galileo’s new scientific discoveries.
From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin
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