pandora's box

noun

Definition of pandora's boxnext
as in trial
a source of many troubles; something that will lead to many problems Their parents are understandably afraid of opening a pandora's box if they buy their oldest child a car.

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of pandora's box Being on a government payroll and possibly subject to Senate confirmation would open up a Pandora's box. — Gail Sheehy, Vanity Fair, 20 Feb. 2026 Threat actors understand that breaching one MSP can open Pandora's box and give them access to dozens of client networks. — James Griffin, Forbes.com, 13 Feb. 2026 Opening a box of old photos opens up a Pandora's box of emotions. — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 17 Jan. 2026 And Talanoa Hufanga continued to fly around like a calamity let loose from Pandora's box, adding a key third-down pass-breakup on the Jets' final offensive drive. — Luca Evans, Denver Post, 12 Oct. 2025 Advances in technology have opened an exciting possibility or perhaps stirred a Pandora's box. — Lance Eliot, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024 Meta's plan to generate synthetic content tailored to individual users — which attracted little notice this week amid a slew of product announcements — opens a whole new Pandora's box in an AI world already full of them. — Ina Fried, Axios, 27 Sep. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pandora's box
  1. trial
  2. hair shirt
  3. discomfort
  4. rub
Noun
  • Despite her openness about those trials, many still wonder, in the aftermath of her death, how yet another gifted actor who grew up in the limelight could have their story cut so short.
    — Lisa Respers France, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Conservative filmmaker Dinesh D’Souza has settled a defamation lawsuit filed by a Gwinnett County man in 2022, avoiding a trial that was set to begin Monday in federal court in Atlanta.
    — Caleb Groves, AJC.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of trial
Noun
  • Four years later, an America-first cultural crackdown has freed the Met to cast off the hair shirt of reckoning and celebrate its diverse holdings in a spirit of defiance.
    — Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
  • And that gave birth to the worst Wolverine, which also gave birth to the idea that the suit is a hair shirt.
    — Michael Ordoña, Los Angeles Times, 25 Nov. 2024
Definition of hair shirt
Noun
  • Pierce never disclosed what was causing the discomfort nor what the surgery was specifically done to correct.
    — James Boyd, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Risks and side effects Fertility hormone injections can cause some discomfort, but side effects are usually mild.
    — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of discomfort
Noun
  • But on a visit the other day, the pork ribs and — surprisingly — the boneless chicken breast arrived with a good, spicy rub.
    — Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Aug. 2026
  • That’s especially true for heavy rub lines that connect bedding areas and food sources.
    — Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of rub

Browse Nearby Words

pandits
pandora's box
pandora's boxes
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Cite this Entry

“Pandora's box.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pandora%27s%20box. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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