as in warning
serving as or offering a warning
the story of King Midas is a cautionary tale about the perils of wishing for something—you just might get it
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Recent Examples of cautionary
The willingness to discuss failure and missteps—not as cautionary tales, but as evidence of survival—ran throughout the event.
—
Dana Harris-Bridson, IndieWire, 11 Nov. 2025
For the past few seasons, Evelyn’s been a cautionary tale about what happens when principled people fall under Mike’s sway.
—Noel Murray, Vulture, 9 Nov. 2025
Oh, and in full Friday fashion, our coworker Randy Tucker also wrote a cautionary tale about buying and selling fancy bottles of bourbon.
—Rasputin Todd, Cincinnati Enquirer, 7 Nov. 2025
The rest will fade into irrelevance — remembered not for their art or innovation, but as cautionary tales of what happens when inclusion becomes optional.
—Kimberly S. Reed, Rolling Stone, 7 Nov. 2025
The seductive pull of righteous retribution gives way to a full-on god complex, setting the stage for an extraordinary cautionary tale in the form of a cat-and-mouse procedural.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
For people scared of investing, Tu says to look closer at those cautionary tales.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 30 Oct. 2025
Siricharoenjit offered a cautionary tale from Thailand’s recent boom.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 29 Oct. 2025
My own reading led me down a narrower and perhaps less nightmarish alley, but one with cautionary implications of its own.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2025
Dana Harris-Bridson, IndieWire, 11 Nov. 2025
For the past few seasons, Evelyn’s been a cautionary tale about what happens when principled people fall under Mike’s sway.
—Noel Murray, Vulture, 9 Nov. 2025
Oh, and in full Friday fashion, our coworker Randy Tucker also wrote a cautionary tale about buying and selling fancy bottles of bourbon.
—Rasputin Todd, Cincinnati Enquirer, 7 Nov. 2025
The rest will fade into irrelevance — remembered not for their art or innovation, but as cautionary tales of what happens when inclusion becomes optional.
—Kimberly S. Reed, Rolling Stone, 7 Nov. 2025
The seductive pull of righteous retribution gives way to a full-on god complex, setting the stage for an extraordinary cautionary tale in the form of a cat-and-mouse procedural.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
For people scared of investing, Tu says to look closer at those cautionary tales.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 30 Oct. 2025
Siricharoenjit offered a cautionary tale from Thailand’s recent boom.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 29 Oct. 2025
My own reading led me down a narrower and perhaps less nightmarish alley, but one with cautionary implications of its own.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cautionary
warning
Adjective
-
The bureau also will post more warning notices at 750 livestock sale facilities and review other potential changes to federal regulations.—
SCOTT SONNER,
Star Tribune,
27 July 2021
-
In response, statistical authorities around the world could do little but issue warning press releases.—
Andrew Whitby,
Time,
17 Apr. 2020
Cite this Entry
“Cautionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cautionary. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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