# cat's cradle

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/cats-cradle
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Any complicated structure that appears to be without purpose.

## Examples

- The wires behind my desk are a total cat's cradle.
- The new tax law is such a cat's cradle that even the accountants cannot explain it.
- The legal contract was a tangled cat's cradle of clauses that seemed designed to confuse rather than clarify the agreement.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.