“Out of the frying pan and into the fire”: meaning, origin and examples
What it means
The phrase means moving from a bad situation to an even worse one.
Tone Cautionary
Where it comes from
The idiom has been used in English since at least the 16th century, and similar sayings exist in many other languages.
Examples
- After quitting a job she disliked, she found out her new job was even more demanding and stressful. She felt like she had jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire.
- Hoping to escape the harsh weather, they moved to a coastal city only to experience frequent floods. It was truly a case of going out of the frying pan and into the fire.
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