Definitions

hornet's nest

NOUN

trouble; hazard

Synonyms

STRONGEST

commotion difficulty hazard trouble

STRONG

difficult situation unpleasant situation

WEAK

botheration can of worms complication dilemma headache hitch hot water issue mess obstacle pickle point at issue predicament quandary scrape

hornets' nest

NOUN

problem

Synonyms

WEAK

botheration box can of worms complication count crunch dilemma disagreement dispute disputed point doubt headache hitch hot water issue mess obstacle pickle point at issue predicament quandary question scrape squeeze tr

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.

Shadi lives in Melbourne, in Australia, but her parents' home is in a neighbourhood of Tehran known as "the hornet's nest".

From BBC • Mar. 15, 2026

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 trooper said he “didn’t really see a need to stir up the hornet’s nest for such a minor violation.”

From Seattle Times • May 5, 2023

Scott Adams sat for his regular YouTube show last month with a plan to stir a hornet’s nest.

From Washington Post • Mar. 6, 2023

We were risking our skins in this hornet’s nest for some nuts?

From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan

hornet's nest

Example Sentences

Related Words