hornets' nest

noun

A nest of hornets.

Similar
hornet's nestwasp's nestwasps' nest
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Meanings

nounhornets' nest (plural hornets' nests)

plural hornets' nests · alternative hornet's nest

  1. literalA nest of hornets.
  2. figurativelyAn unpleasant or controversial situation likely to be exacerbated by outside involvement.

    Those articles in the tabloids stirred up a real hornets' nest.

    2007, Tom Peavler, The Adjustment
    1 more example

    Now what a-devil has set this hornet's nest of theirs abuzz so suddenly?

    1902, Francis Lynde, The Master of Appleby

Synonyms & antonyms

nouna highly contentious or hazardous situation

Similar
hornet's nest
Broader
situation

nounhabitation for wasps or hornets

Similar
wasp's nestwasps' nesthornet's nest
Broader
nidus

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Translations

Arabic عش الدبابير
  • عش الدبابيرan unpleasant or controversial situation
Chinese Mandarin 馬蜂窩 /马蜂窝
  • 馬蜂窩 /马蜂窝 (mǎfēngwō)an unpleasant or controversial situation
Dutch wespennest
  • wespennestan unpleasant or controversial situation
Finnish herhiläispesä, ampiaispesä
  • herhiläispesäa hornets' nest
  • ampiaispesäan unpleasant or controversial situation
German Hornissennest, Wespennest
  • Hornissennesta hornets' nest
  • Wespennestan unpleasant or controversial situation
Hungarian darázsfészek
  • darázsfészekan unpleasant or controversial situation
Italian ginepraio
  • ginepraioan unpleasant or controversial situation
Russian оси́ное гнездо́
  • оси́ное гнездо́ (osínoje gnezdó)an unpleasant or controversial situation
Spanish nido de avispas, avispero
  • nido de avispasan unpleasant or controversial situation
  • avisperoan unpleasant or controversial situation
Welsh nyth cacwn, nyth cacwn
  • nyth cacwna hornets' nest
  • nyth cacwnan unpleasant or controversial situation
Cite this entry
APA

hornets' nest. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hornets'%20nest

MLA

“hornets' nest.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hornets'%20nest. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hornets' nest,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hornets'%20nest.

Source: hornets' nest on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.