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.

This is a cautionary tale — and a lesson to not accept an insurance company’s first estimate.

From MarketWatch • Jul. 10, 2026

But previous attempts to corner shipping markets offer a cautionary tale.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 2, 2026

"This is a cautionary tale for understanding cerebellar activity in disease, but also for treating these challenging diseases," Van der Heijden said.

From Science Daily • Jul. 1, 2026

Nobody expects “House of the Dragon” to be an educational exercise, or even an overt cautionary tale, any more than “Game of Thrones” was intended to be.

From Salon • Jun. 21, 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