sisyphus: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2 (Very Low Frequency in everyday use)Formal/Literary, Academic (allusion)
Quick answer
What does “sisyphus” mean?
In Greek mythology, a king of Corinth condemned in the underworld to eternally roll a boulder up a hill, only for it to roll back down each time.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
In Greek mythology, a king of Corinth condemned in the underworld to eternally roll a boulder up a hill, only for it to roll back down each time.
A person or symbol of endless, futile, and repetitive labor; a metaphor for a task that is never completed despite constant effort.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Spelling remains 'Sisyphus' in both varieties.
Connotations
Identical connotations of futile struggle in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally low frequency and confined to educated/literary registers in both BrE and AmE.
Grammar
How to Use “sisyphus” in a Sentence
[Subject] is a (modern) Sisyphus.[Subject] is engaged in a Sisyphean [task/struggle].[Task] is Sisyphean.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “sisyphus” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- N/A – Not used as a verb.
American English
- N/A – Not used as a verb.
adverb
British English
- N/A – 'Sisypheanly' is non-standard and virtually never used.
American English
- N/A – 'Sisypheanly' is non-standard and virtually never used.
adjective
British English
- The admin reform became a Sisyphean undertaking.
- He was trapped in a Sisyphean cycle of debt.
American English
- It was a Sisyphean effort to get the legislation passed.
- She faced the Sisyphean challenge of daily data entry.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used directly. Could appear in commentary: 'Trying to get regulatory approval felt like a Sisyphean ordeal.'
Academic
Common in literary criticism, philosophy (e.g., Camus's 'The Myth of Sisyphus'), political science, and sociology to describe futile cycles.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Might be used by educated speakers for dramatic effect: 'Cleaning this house with toddlers is a Sisyphean task.'
Technical
Not used in hard sciences. Potential use in psychology to describe repetitive, maladaptive behaviors.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “sisyphus”
Strong
Neutral
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “sisyphus”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “sisyphus”
- Misspelling: 'Sisiphus', 'Sisyfus'.
- Mispronunciation: stressing the second syllable (/sɪˈsaɪfəs/).
- Using it to describe just a 'hard' task without the essential element of cyclical futility.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is almost always a proper noun ('like Sisyphus') or part of the adjective 'Sisyphean'. Using it as a common noun ('a sisyphus') is highly non-standard and incorrect.
Yes, crucial difference. 'Herculean' describes a task of immense difficulty and strength that can potentially be completed. 'Sisyphean' describes a task that is not only difficult but fundamentally futile and never-ending.
In British English: /ˌsɪsɪˈfiːən/. In American English: /ˌsɪsəˈfiən/. The stress is on the third syllable.
In formal writing, literature, academic essays (philosophy, political science, sociology), and in educated speech to make a pointed metaphor about a futile, cyclical struggle. It is too literary for casual conversation.
In Greek mythology, a king of Corinth condemned in the underworld to eternally roll a boulder up a hill, only for it to roll back down each time.
Sisyphus is usually formal/literary, academic (allusion) in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “a Sisyphean task”
- “push the boulder uphill”
- “the rock rolls back”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
**SISY**phus **SIGH**s because his **SISY** (sissy/simple) task is forever **FUS**sed (foiled). He pushes, he SIGHs, it rolls back.
Conceptual Metaphor
LIFE/STRUGGLE IS SISYPHUS'S LABOR (a purposeful but ultimately futile cyclical activity).
Practice
Quiz
What is the ESSENTIAL element of a 'Sisyphean' task?