1
capitalized
: any of three snake-haired sisters in Greek mythology whose appearance turns the beholder to stone
2
: an ugly or repulsive woman
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The Gorgons were three monstrous sisters in Greek mythology, the most famous of whom was Medusa. They had snakes for hair, and anyone who looked directly at them was immediately turned to stone. Medusa herself was finally beheaded by the hero Perseus, who avoided looking straight at her by instead watching her reflection in his mirrorlike shield. Today the familiar types of jellyfish, with long snakelike tentacles descending from their headlike bodies, are known as medusas.
Examples of gorgon in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The studio is also developing an original horror film with Anna Chazelle based on the one of the Greek gorgon sisters, Medusa.
—
Giana Levy, Variety, 23 Sep. 2025
Furs are werewolves, Fangs are vampires, Stoners are gorgons and Scales are sirens, leader of whom is Bianca Barclay (Joy Sunday).
—Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 4 Aug. 2025
Those themes are evident in the salon decorated with giant nautilus shells, gorgons of the sea and other old nautical items.
—Chloe Braithwaite, Robb Report, 25 Apr. 2024
The East Coast socialites Capote fawns over are lacquered gorgons (for whom the show occasionally sheds crocodile tears, as in the case of Paley’s cancer diagnosis); the Hollywood crowd that takes him in is tasteless lightweights.
—Mike Hale, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2024
Playwright Kenny Hahn delves into the human side of the famous gorgon.
—John Coffren, Baltimore Sun, 9 Feb. 2023
Instead of an evil monster, Haynes’s Medusa is a beloved gorgon sister with a keen intellect and a curiosity about the human world.
—Becky Meloan, Washington Post, 1 Feb. 2023
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Giana Levy, Variety, 23 Sep. 2025
Furs are werewolves, Fangs are vampires, Stoners are gorgons and Scales are sirens, leader of whom is Bianca Barclay (Joy Sunday).
—Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 4 Aug. 2025
Those themes are evident in the salon decorated with giant nautilus shells, gorgons of the sea and other old nautical items.
—Chloe Braithwaite, Robb Report, 25 Apr. 2024
The East Coast socialites Capote fawns over are lacquered gorgons (for whom the show occasionally sheds crocodile tears, as in the case of Paley’s cancer diagnosis); the Hollywood crowd that takes him in is tasteless lightweights.
—Mike Hale, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2024
Playwright Kenny Hahn delves into the human side of the famous gorgon.
—John Coffren, Baltimore Sun, 9 Feb. 2023
Instead of an evil monster, Haynes’s Medusa is a beloved gorgon sister with a keen intellect and a curiosity about the human world.
—Becky Meloan, Washington Post, 1 Feb. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Gorgon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gorgon. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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