object lesson

noun

ob·​ject lesson ˈäb-jikt- How to pronounce object lesson (audio)
-(ˌ)jekt-
: something that serves as a practical example of a principle or abstract idea
This album is, alas, an object lesson in bad mixing; the rhythm section seems to be drowning out the singers half the time.People

Examples of object lesson in a Sentence

His life story is an object lesson in how not to run a business.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The lead-up to Kennedy’s circus of sci-fi fantasists and food bloggers provides an object lesson in how the left cedes fertile political territory to the right. Annie Levin, Washington Post, 10 Feb. 2026 The scenes playing out in Minneapolis in recent weeks offer an object lesson in the dangers of federal overreach. Stephen Mihm, Twin Cities, 8 Feb. 2026 The scenes playing out in Minneapolis in recent weeks offer an object lesson in the dangers of federal overreach. Stephen Mihm, Mercury News, 5 Feb. 2026 The film will be a masque and an object lesson. David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for object lesson

Word History

First Known Use

1831, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of object lesson was in 1831

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Object lesson.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/object%20lesson. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

object lesson

noun
ˈäb-jikt-
: a real example of how some general idea or role works
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster