# open Pandora's box

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/open-pandoras-box
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To perform an action that causes problems to appear which did not exist beforehand, or were not known about prior.

## Examples

- Asking about his past really opened Pandora's box.
- By questioning the company's accounting methods, the auditor accidentally opened Pandora's box and uncovered years of hidden debt.
- The government's decision to release the classified documents opened Pandora's box, triggering a series of political scandals that the administration could no longer contain.

---

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.