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The Strait of Messina is the narrow passage between the island of Sicily and the "toe" of Italy's "boot". In Greek mythology, two monsters hovered on either side of the strait. Scylla, a female monster with six snake-like heads, each with pointed teeth, barked like a dog from the rocks on the Italian side. Charybdis, on the Sicilian side, caused a whirlpool by swallowing the waters of the sea three times a day. When Odysseus attempted to sail between them, he encountered disaster on both sides. Being caught between Scylla and Charybdis is a lot like being between a rock and a hard place.
Examples of Scylla in a Sentence
Burkhard Bilger, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
The town is named for the Greek mythological creature Scylla, a sea monster with multiple heads that was fabled to terrorize sailors (most notably, the hero Odysseus) who dared to travel the water between Italy and Sicily.
—Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
Risk is extremely difficult to quantify, so bringing together expertise in IT, innovation and compliance—and maintaining a strategic vision—can help chart a safe course between Scylla and Charybdis.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025
To study the processes happening within the Tarantula nebula, astronomers used an observing program called Scylla, after the Greek monster, to study the clouds of dust and gas around the stars.
—Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 12 Aug. 2025
As Scylla and Charybdis attack their ship, massive water cannons were shot at him and Jeffries to simulate the giant waves amid the brewing storm.
—EW.com, 22 July 2025
This incident nudges the crypto community between the Scylla of crime and Charybdis of censorship.
—David G.w. Birch, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scylla.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Scylla. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
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