How do you use "Wolf in sheep's clothing" in a sentence?

Be careful—he's a wolf in sheep's clothing. The company turned out to be a wolf in sheep's clothing. Watch out for wolves in sheep's clothing.

Wolf in sheep's clothing

Q: What does "Wolf in sheep's clothing" mean?

Someone dangerous disguised as harmless; a hidden threat. A 'wolf in sheep's clothing' appears innocent but is actually dangerous—a predator disguised as harmless. Biblical in origin, describing those who hide malicious intent behind a benign exterior.

Slang Term BritishAmericanAustralian ★★★★☆ Common Neutral

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Meaning: Someone dangerous disguised as harmless; a hidden threat.

伪装成无害的危险人物；隐藏的威胁。

Alguien peligroso disfrazado de inofensivo; una amenaza oculta.

無害を装った危険な人；隠れた脅威。

무해한 척 위장한 위험한 사람; 숨겨진 위협.

A 'wolf in sheep's clothing' appears innocent but is actually dangerous—a predator disguised as harmless. Biblical in origin, describing those who hide malicious intent behind a benign exterior.

'Wolf in sheep's clothing'（披着羊皮的狼）看起来无害但实际上很危险——伪装成无害的掠食者。源自圣经，描述那些在温和外表下隐藏恶意的人。

Un 'lobo con piel de cordero' parece inocente pero en realidad es peligroso—un depredador disfrazado de inofensivo. De origen bíblico, describe a quienes ocultan intenciones maliciosas tras una apariencia benigna.

「wolf in sheep's clothing」（羊の皮を被った狼）は無邪気に見えるが実際は危険—無害を装った捕食者。聖書に由来し、穏やかな外見の裏に悪意を隠す者を表します。

'양의 탈을 쓴 늑대(wolf in sheep's clothing)'는 겉으로는 무해해 보이지만 실제로는 위험한 사람을 뜻합니다. 성경에서 유래한 표현으로, 선의의 겉모습 뒤에 악의를 숨긴 자를 묘사합니다.

Examples

Be careful—he's a wolf in sheep's clothing.
小心——他是披着羊皮的狼
Ten cuidado—es un lobo con piel de cordero
気をつけて—彼は羊の皮を被った狼だ
조심해—그는 양의 탈을 쓴 늑대야.
The company turned out to be a wolf in sheep's clothing.
那家公司原来是披着羊皮的狼
La empresa resultó ser un lobo con piel de cordero
その会社は結局、見かけとは違う悪徳企業だった
그 회사는 결국 양의 탈을 쓴 늑대였다.
Watch out for wolves in sheep's clothing.
当心披着羊皮的狼
Cuidado con los lobos con piel de cordero
羊の皮を被った狼に気をつけて
양의 탈을 쓴 늑대를 조심해.

Pronunciation

/wʊlf ɪn ʃiːps ˈkləʊðɪŋ/

Usage Guide

Context: deception, warning, danger

Tone: warning, suspicious

✓ Do Say

Wolf in sheep's clothing
披着羊皮的狼
Un lobo con piel de cordero
羊の皮をかぶった狼
양의 탈을 쓴 늑대
A wolf in sheep's clothing
一只披着羊皮的狼
Un lobo con piel de cordero
羊の皮をかぶった狼だ
양의 탈을 쓴 늑대다

Common Mistakes

Biblical expression but widely understood

Origin & History

From the Bible, Matthew 7:15: 'Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.' The image of predators disguised as prey has endured.

Etymology: Biblical: Matthew 7:15

First recorded: Biblical origin

Cultural Context

Era: Biblical onwards

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Pop culture: Bible; Aesop's Fables

Regional notes: Universal expression.

Variations

Wolf in sheep's clothing

Wolf in sheep's clothing

Examples

Pronunciation

Usage Guide

✓ Do Say

Common Mistakes

Origin & History

Cultural Context

Variations

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