object lesson

noun

ob·​ject lesson ˈäb-jikt- How to pronounce object lesson (audio)
-(ˌ)jekt-
: something that serves as a practical example of a principle or abstract idea

Examples of object lesson in a Sentence

His life story is an object lesson in how not to run a business.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
And so Newsom’s attempt at moderation is becoming an object lesson in the inability of even the most ambitious Democrats to separate themselves from cultural radicalism. The Editors, National Review, 4 June 2025 In the age of print, Hamburg was the birthplace of magazine publishing, and Paris the birthplace of the literary review and the gossip rag; but restless, immoral London was where the advice column first transformed people’s private lives into object lessons for ethical behavior. Merve Emre, New Yorker, 16 June 2025 Within hours, Petro had relented, and his humiliation provided an object lesson for other leaders. Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 8 May 2025 This, my friends, is an object lesson in innovation management. Dev Patnaik, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for object lesson

Word History

First Known Use

1831, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of object lesson was in 1831

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Cite this Entry

“Object lesson.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/object%20lesson. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

object lesson

noun
ˈäb-jikt-
: a real example of how some general idea or role works
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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