can of worms

The idiom "can of worms" warns against actions or topics that could lead to a multitude of unforeseen complications.

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Definition

B2General

(idiomatic)A situation that, when addressed, leads to numerous unexpected problems.

Example

  • Discussing the budget cuts opened a can of worms for the committee.
  • Bringing up the past mistakes turned the meeting into a can of worms.

Similar

Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "can of worms":

oh wormkettle of fish