cautionary
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.
The gloomy Danish writer Søren Kierkegaard, who jilted his fiancée because he believed he could not withstand the happiness of marriage, is a cautionary figure for a forlorn ex-girlfriend in “Philosophers.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2026
"It's a cautionary tale about how stellar activity can mimic planet signals using the radial velocity."
From Science Daily ● Oct. 30, 2026
According to its official website, external, it is "also a cautionary reminder of the abysses of the inhumane Nazi dictatorship".
From BBC ● Oct. 24, 2026
A contrasting perspective holds that dystopian and cautionary science fiction serves an essential purpose by exposing the consequences of reckless behavior, political failure and technological overreach.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026
Recounted in numberless articles and books, the Maya collapse has become an ecological parable for green activists; along with Pleistocene overkill, it is a favorite cautionary tale about surpassing the limits of Nature.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
Vocabulary lists containing cautionary
ACT Reading Test: Words to Capture Tone, List 4
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Tone and Point of View, List 3
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World Without Fish
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