Meaning & use
curiosity killed the cat
Last updated
Meaning
phrasefixed phraseinformalhumorous
A saying that warns that being too interested in other people's business, or in dangerous things, can lead to trouble.
Grammar: The wording stays the same; it is a complete sentence people say in reply to questions.
Patterns
- curiosity killed the cat
When she kept asking about his salary, he just smiled and said curiosity killed the cat.
I wanted to open the locked drawer, but curiosity killed the cat, so I left it alone.
Why do you want to know? Curiosity killed the cat, you know.
Common combinations
- remember that curiosity killed the cat
- Remember that curiosity killed the cat before you read his messages.
- as they say, curiosity killed the cat
- As they say, curiosity killed the cat, so I stopped digging.
- curiosity killed the cat, but
- Curiosity killed the cat, but I still want to see inside the box.
- jokingly say curiosity killed the cat
- He jokingly said curiosity killed the cat when I asked where he was going.
Synonyms and how they differ
- mind your own business
- This is a blunt command, whereas curiosity killed the cat is a gentler, often playful warning.
- let sleeping dogs lie
- This advises leaving a calm situation alone, while curiosity killed the cat warns about asking or investigating.
- nosy
- This describes a person who pries, while the proverb is a saying used about the habit.
Word family
Commonly confused: curiosity killed the cat or curiosity?
curiosity killed the cat vs curiosity
This only means a wish to know, and is not a warning on its own, unlike the full saying.
Practice
When his sister asked who had sent him the gift, he grinned and replied, ____.
Choose one answer.
Curiosity killed the cat is the saying used to warn against asking too many questions. The other proverbs are about timing, hope and deeds, so they do not fit.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “curiosity killed the cat”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.