teachable moment

American  

[tee-chuh-buhl moh-muhnt] / ˈti tʃə bəl ˈmoʊ mənt /

noun

1. a specific occurrence, situation, or experience that can be used to teach people about something more general.

   Her death created a teachable moment about prescription drug abuse.

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Etymology

Origin of teachable moment

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

That line stayed with me when I spoke to Gregory Rogers, a criminal-justice lecturer and former FBI agent who’s been trying to turn the assassination into a teachable moment.

From Slate

This should be a teachable moment.

From MarketWatch

This should be a teachable moment, the adulting equivalent of an afterschool special.

From MarketWatch

“It sends a signal to victims that despite the MeToo movement, we’re still not there in believing victims and understanding the context of exploitation. But I’m hoping it’s a teachable moment to connect the dots with what trafficking is and understanding the complexity of coercion.”

From Los Angeles Times

Let’s call it a “teachable moment.”

From Salon