teach (someone) a lesson

idiom

: to make it less likely that a person will repeat doing something bad
I'm glad they got caught. That will teach them a lesson!

Examples of teach (someone) a lesson in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Noticing Lisa is depressed, Gaga takes her under her wing to teach a lesson in confidence. Kimberly Aguirre, Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2024 Mundane forms of retaliation can teach a lesson more clearly than ignoring the transgressor’s wrongdoing, says Susan Boon, a psychology professor at the University of Calgary. Allie Volpe, Vox, 14 June 2024 What is a candy bar worth when a child’s suffering not only doesn’t teach a lesson, but can actually cause further harm — like more jail time in the future? Meghan Leahy, Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2024 Taking part in a class-action lawsuit can teach a lesson, too. John Kelly, Washington Post, 24 Sep. 2022 Advertisement Rabbi Kushner rejected traditional explanations for tragedy — the notion, for example, that God employs suffering to teach a lesson, or that God has a plan unknowable to mortals. Emily Langer, Washington Post, 5 May 2023 Dear Solution: What a clever way to teach a lesson while making others in need feel good. Annie Lane, oregonlive, 15 Feb. 2022 My intent with the calisthenics was to teach a lesson about the importance of practice and discipline. Stephen Borelli, USA TODAY, 26 May 2023 Politis is one of several parents upset that a preschool teacher at Studio Kids’ Little River location used blackface to teach a lesson about Black History Month. Orlando Sentinel, 10 Feb. 2023

Dictionary Entries Near teach (someone) a lesson

Cite this Entry

“Teach (someone) a lesson.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/teach%20%28someone%29%20a%20lesson. Accessed 19 Nov. 2024.

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