the cure is worse than the disease
This idiom suggests that an attempted solution to a problem may result in a worse situation than the original issue.
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Definition
B2General
(figurative, informal)A situation where the solution causes more harm than the problem itself.
Example
- Implementing such strict regulations might be a case where the cure is worse than the disease.
C1Medical
(technical)When medical treatment has more severe adverse effects than the illness it aims to treat.
Example
- In some cases, the side effects of the medication are so severe that the cure is worse than the disease.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "the cure is worse than the disease":
take the curean ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure