View synonyms for can of worms

can of worms

noun

Informal. a source of many unpredictable or unexpected problems:
Buying a company we know nothing about would be opening up a whole new can of worms.

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Word History and Origins

Origin of can of worms¹

First recorded in 1965–70

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Idioms and Phrases

A complex unexpected problem or unsolvable dilemma, as in Tackling the budget cuts is sure to open a can of worms . This expression alludes to a container of bait used for fishing, which when opened reveals an inextricable tangle of worms. [1920s]

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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