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.

After decades of stagnant returns, Ciena shares have morphed from a cautionary tale into one of Wall Street’s hottest stocks.

From Barron's • Mar. 16, 2026

For some, the rise and fall of Brewdog has been a cautionary tale of unchecked ambition, rapid expansion and hubris.

From BBC • Mar. 6, 2026

Whatever the high court does, Murrin’s case is a cautionary tale for taxpayers as they file their 2025 income-tax returns.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 27, 2026

The risk is that the U.K.’s contribution to the golden age is a cautionary tale about the cost of these megaprojects as the U.S. advances its own nuclear buildout.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026

With this cautionary tale in mind, let us begin by asking a question which seems too obvious to need asking but is in fact an essential preliminary: What is a machine?

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton