Phrase guide

can of worms

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A complex, troublesome situation, which produces (or whose resolution will produce) many problems.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • If someone gets a promotion that might not be deserved, it could open up a whole can of worms with the other employees.
  • Questioning the decision would definitely open a can of worms.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see can, worm.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a source of unpredictable trouble and complexity

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: trouble, problem

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

19 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 棘手的問題 /棘手的问题 (jíshǒu de wèntí) — a complex, troublesome situation
  • Finnish: soppa — a complex, troublesome situation
  • French: sac de nœuds — a complex, troublesome situation
  • German: Fass — a complex, troublesome situation
  • German: Fass ohne Boden — a complex, troublesome situation
  • German: Wespennest — a complex, troublesome situation
  • Hungarian: darázsfészek — a complex, troublesome situation
  • Italian: aprire il vaso di Pandora — a complex, troublesome situation
  • Japanese: ゴチャゴチャした状態 (gochagocha-shita jōtai) — a complex, troublesome situation
  • Japanese: 困った事態 (komatta jitai) — a complex, troublesome situation
  • Māori: unuhanga taniwha — a complex, troublesome situation
  • Navajo: tʼóó chąąʼ — a complex, troublesome situation
  • Polish: puszka Pandory — a complex, troublesome situation
  • Russian: клубо́к пробле́м (klubók problém) — a complex, troublesome situation
  • Russian: весёленькая исто́рия (vesjólenʹkaja istórija) — a complex, troublesome situation
  • Spanish: melón (colloquial; usu. preceded by the verb abrir) — a complex, troublesome situation
  • Spanish: avispero — a complex, troublesome situation
  • Spanish: caja de los truenos — a complex, troublesome situation
  • Welsh: tuniad o gynrhon — a complex, troublesome situation