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What is another word for can of worms?

Need synonyms for can of worms? Here's a list of similar words from our thesaurus that you can use instead.

Contexts ▼

A complicated situation from which a solution may be difficult to find

Something that needs to be resolved

A topic in dispute, or up for debate

A result or effect, usually one that is unwelcome or unpleasant

Difficulty, especially when caused by lack of money

Something that is tough, or difficult

A messy, complex, troublesome or confused situation

A chain of events, each instigated by the event preceding it

Very complicated or detailed

… more ▼

Noun

A complicated situation from which a solution may be difficult to find

complex problem

complicated situation

difficult situation

dog's breakfast

hard nut to crack

troublesome problem

unpredictable situation

awkward situation

sticky situation

tricky situation

unforeseen circumstance

snake in the grass

no-win situation

unfortunate situation

problematic situation

tight situation

critical situation

serious problem

sorry condition

pretty kettle of fish

fine kettle of fish

large difficulty

difficult problem

serious predicament

embarrassing situation

worst-case scenario

serious dilemma

embarrassing problem

serious complication

difficult choice

reversal of fortune

botched situation

between a rock and a hard place

diffict situation

stroke of ill luck

spot of trouble

ticklish situation

potential crisis

emergency situation

urgent situation

state of perplexity

state of uncertainty

delicate situation

situational problem

more ❯

“Knowing about what had transpired that night only opened up a can of worms.”

Noun

Something that needs to be resolved

negative aspect

teething trouble

stumbling block

fly in the ointment

spanner in the works

monkey wrench in the works

millstone around your neck

stone in one's path

small difficulty

psychological baggage

millstone round someone's neck

other side of the coin

mountain to climb

holding pattern

something wrong

joker in the pack

difficult situation

unpleasant aspect

thorn in one's side

source of difficulty

source of trouble

concerning matter

thorn in the flesh

chink in the armor

chink in your armour

more ❯

Noun

A topic in dispute, or up for debate

bone of contention

matter in question

matter of contention

point in question

point of departure

point of contention

field of inquiry

principal object

area under discussion

piece of information

field of reference

line of reasoning

focus of attention

subject of thought

itemized information

personal concern

essential point

heart of the matter

meat and potatoes

name of the game

most important fact

more ❯

Noun

A result or effect, usually one that is unwelcome or unpleasant

knock-on effect

materialisation^UK

materialization^US

matter of course

unexpected result

finished product

adverse effects

negative effect

unintended consequence

secondary effect

lasting impression

trickle-down effect

delayed response

unforeseen consequence

unforeseen circumstance

secondary response

final reckoning

day of reckoning

moment of truth

more ❯

Noun

Difficulty, especially when caused by lack of money

harsh conditions

trials and tribulations

stroke of bad luck

stroke of ill luck

reversal of fortune

pain in the bum

pain in the backside

pain in the neck

tough situation

pain in the rear

reverse of fortune

unfortunate incident

lack of success

short end of the stick

devil's own luck

hell in a handbasket

rough situation

unfortunateness

way of the world

way the cookie crumbles

human condition

hand one is dealt

usual state of affairs

times we live in

school of hard knocks

more ❯

Noun

Something that is tough, or difficult

knotty question

awkward problem

difficult question

tough proposition

difficult proposition

hard nut to crack

tough nut to crack

unsolved problem

sixty-four dollar question

sixty-four-thousand-dollar question

inscrutableness

inextricability

complicatedness

inexplicableness

food for thought

incomprehensibility

more ❯

Noun

A messy, complex, troublesome or confused situation

disorganisation^UK

disorganization^US

dog's breakfast

topsy-turviness

troublesome situation

place of disorder

three-ring circus

utter confusion

pig's breakfast

all hell broken loose

discombobulation

an omnishambles

topsy-turvyness

state of confusion

state of untidiness

scene of confusion

mess and a half

miscoordination

unconnectedness

more ❯

Noun

A chain of events, each instigated by the event preceding it

chain of events

contagion effect

knock-on effect

cause and effect

causal sequence

butterfly effect

Adjective

Very complicated or detailed

difficult to understand

full of twists and turns

incomprehensible

over one's head

above your head

as clear as mud

hard to understand

thought-provoking

beyond comprehension

beyond one's grasp

clear as dishwater

state-of-the-art

disorganized^US

hard to explain

between the lines

disorganised^UK

impossible to separate

particularized^US

difficult to follow

cloak-and-dagger

without a solution

pluridimensional

multidimensional

unable to be solved

particularised^UK

uninterpretable

not easily understood

impossible to understand

all Greek to someone

too hard to understand

too difficult to understand

all Greek to you

out of the ordinary

beyond understanding

uncharacteristic

open to argument

weird and wonderful

out of the common

full of surprises

uncomprehensible

breaking new ground

misrepresentative

unstraightforward

like nothing on earth

more sophisticated

more ❯

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