put the genie back in the bottle

English

Verb

put the genie back in the bottle (third-person singular simple present puts the genie back in the bottle, present participle putting the genie back in the bottle, simple past and past participle put the genie back in the bottle)

1. (idiomatic, chiefly in the negative) To revert a situation; to put things back as they were before something (usually an unwelcome thing) became a reality.

   People are very worried about artificial intelligence, but there's no way now to put the genie back in the bottle.

Synonyms

• put the cork back in the bottle
• put the toothpaste back in the tube

See also

• genie is out of the bottle
• unring a bell