# monkey paw

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/monkey-paw
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Alternative form of monkey's paw.

## Examples

- Getting the job was a monkey paw because the commute is terrible.
- He finally won the lottery, but it became a monkey paw when his long-lost relatives started demanding money.
- The promotion offered the prestige he craved, yet it proved a classic monkey paw, as the crushing workload left him no time for his family.

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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.