: 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
To make matters worse, Russia’s military intervention on behalf of Assad—the first uncontested use of Russian military power in the Middle East in history—has been a powerful object lesson for the region.
—
Andrew L. Peek, Foreign Affairs, 11 Nov. 2016
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
See All Example Sentences for object lesson
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Andrew L. Peek, Foreign Affairs, 11 Nov. 2016
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
See All Example Sentences for object lesson
Cite this Entry
“Object lesson.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/object%20lesson. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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