Phrase guide

open Pandora's box

verb · 1 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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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To perform an action that causes problems to appear which did not exist beforehand, or were not known about prior.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

6 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: avata Pandoran lipas — to perform an action that causes problems
  • French: ouvrir la boîte de Pandore — to perform an action that causes problems
  • Occitan: obrir la bóstia de Pandora — to perform an action that causes problems
  • Polish: otwierać puszkę Pandory — to perform an action that causes problems
  • Polish: otworzyć puszkę Pandory — to perform an action that causes problems
  • Romanian: deschide cutia Pandorei — to perform an action that causes problems