Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
out-of-the-frying-pan-into-the-fire
idiom
/ˈaʊt əv ðə ˈfraɪɪŋ ˌpæn ˌɪntu ðə faɪər/
Definition
A phrase indicating a situation where someone escapes a difficult situation only to find themselves in a worse one.
Examples
- After dealing with a difficult client at work, she found herself out of the frying pan into the fire when her car broke down on the way home.
- Transitioning from one job to another can sometimes mean going out of the frying pan into the fire if the new role is even more stressful.
Meaning
The expression suggests that moving from one problematic scenario leads to a more serious or challenging circumstance.
Synonyms
- from bad to worse
- into deeper trouble
- out of the blue and into the storm
