Gordian knot
noun
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According to Greek mythology, when the peasant Gordius became king of Gordium in Phrygia, he dedicated his wagon to Zeus and fastened its yoke to a beam with a very complex knot. Centuries later, when Alexander the Great arrived on the scene, he was told that he couldn't conquer and rule Asia unless he proved himself worthy by untying the knot. Alexander quickly solved his problem—and gained a new kingdom —by slicing the knot in half with his sword. Since then, Gordian knot has become a term for a difficult problem, and the phrase "cut the Gordian knot" has become a popular way to describe a neat solution for an apparently insurmountable difficulty.
Examples of Gordian knot in a Sentence
Phil Mattingly, CNN Money, 22 May 2025
If there’s a way to cut this Gordian knot, Pelly hasn’t found it, but then, neither has anyone else.
—Elizabeth Lopatto, The Verge, 16 Jan. 2025
Nuclear power has gained momentum this year as a possible solution to this Gordian knot.
—Rob Toews, Forbes, 22 Dec. 2024
Then sit back and watch the Swifties unleash their fury and tear to shreds the Gordian knot that was once catastrophic global warming.
—Ivan Ehlers, The New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2023
Essentially, by plugging the equations of the Standard Model into powerful computers, researchers can numerically approximate the mess of hadronic blobs, cutting through the subatomic Gordian knot.
—Daniel Garisto, Scientific American, 10 Aug. 2023
Here's the thing: 1) Over two years of international pandemic have tied us all--students and teachers (and yes, bureaucrats)--into social and mental Gordian knots.
—Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 21 Feb. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Gordian knot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Gordian%20knot. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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