poisoned chalice

noun

chiefly British
: something that seems attractive at first but becomes unpleasant
For her, working as store manager was a poisoned chalice as it became more and more difficult to be the boss of her friends.

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Cite this Entry

“Poisoned chalice.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/poisoned%20chalice. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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