Trojan War

noun

: a 10-year war between the Greeks and Trojans brought on by the abduction of Helen by Paris and ended with the destruction of Troy

Examples of Trojan War in a Sentence

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The Odyssey is slated to premiere on July 17, 2026, and is an adaptation of Homer’s epic poem about Odysseus, King of Ithaca, and his perilous journey home after the Trojan War. Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 13 May 2026 Commercials for The Odyssey that feature Scott's bard seem to show the character describing the events of the Trojan War, which Matt Damon's character Odysseus famously helped win. Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 12 May 2026 Along the way, the poets encounter the likes of Cleopatra and the various antagonists of the Trojan War — Achilles, Helen of Troy and Paris — in the second circle where those who fell under the sin of lust end up. Keith Cooper, Space.com, 11 May 2026 The Trojan War was the foundational story of the Greeks, who are the foundational thinkers of the West, and the Gospels are the foundational moral ethos of the West. Stuart Miller, Oc Register, 7 May 2026 It is generally agreed that Helen, the woman of matchless beauty who indirectly caused the Trojan War by eloping with (or being abducted by) the Trojan prince Paris, belongs to the realm of fiction and not fact, as do Achilles and other mythological figures. Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Apr. 2026 The adaptation of the Homeric classic casts Matt Damon as Odysseus, the legendary Greek warrior embarking on a dangerous way home after the Trojan War to once again see his wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway) and son Telemachus (Tom Holland). Brian Truitt, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026 In it, Matt Damon stars as Odysseus, a king who embarks on a long and dangerous journey following the Trojan War. Mark Meszoros, Twin Cities, 25 Apr. 2026 Matt Damon stars Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, and chronicles his long and perilous return home after the Trojan War. Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 15 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Trojan War was in 1611

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Cite this Entry

“Trojan War.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Trojan%20War. Accessed 14 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

Trojan War

noun
: a 10-year war between the ancient Greeks and Trojans

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