[Idiom] OPEN A CAN OF WORMS. - Explore How Simple Actions Can Complicate Matters
Open a can of worms.
Complicate issues further.
To "Open a can of worms" means to inadvertently create a host of new problems while attempting to solve another. Imagine opening a literal can filled with worms, intending to grab just one but ending up with a wriggling mass escaping into every direction. This idiom is used to describe situations where an action thought to be simple turns out to be very complicated.
Example Sentences
That opened a can of worms.
That started a series of complicated problems.
Mentioning politics at dinner opened a can of worms.
Mentioning politics at dinner led to a series of complicated and controversial discussions.
Asking about her past relationship was like opening a can of worms, leading to an awkward conversation.
Asking about her past relationship caused a series of awkward and difficult revelations.