Idiom idiom
release the kraken
Meaning
To unleash a greatly destructive force.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Examples
“If you ignore the warnings, you will release the kraken.”
“The manager decided to release the kraken by filing a massive lawsuit against the competing company.”
“By ignoring the diplomatic protocols and authorizing the full military strike, the leader effectively released the kraken upon the unsuspecting region.”
Origin
first recorded 20th c.
first recorded 20th c.
The expression originates from the 1981 film Clash of the Titans, in which the command is given to unleash a captive sea monster. It entered the lexicon as a reference to this cinematic event.
Anchors to
Last updated August 10, 2026