Gordian knot

Noun

Meaning

an intricate knot tied by Gordius, the king of Phrygia, and cut by the sword of Alexander the Great after he heard that whoever undid it would become ruler of Asia

any very difficult problem; insoluble in its own terms

Source: WordNet

Synonyms

enigma poser case problem issue quagmire concern difficulty challenge complexity catch trouble affair chaos fix
Show all synonyms

Antonyms

success solution advantage agreement opportunity resolution
Show all antonyms

Hypernyms

problem knot

Related terms

gordius

Examples

The problems is mastered - insupportably tiring when it was impending. Deliverance accounts for what sounds like axiom. The Gordian knot need not be cut. Marianne Moore

Children and lunatics cut the Gordian knot which the poet spends his life patiently trying to untie. Jean Cocteau

According to Barnes: The people of the South and the West had for years been convinced of the enormity of the "crime of 1873", and they had long since come to regard silver as the sword that would cut the Gordian knot of privilege. Source: Internet

According to reviewer David Haddon: citation Mead has cut the Gordian knot of quantum complementarity. Source: Internet

Anselm Kiefer: Superstrings, Runes, The Norns, Gordian Knot at White Cube, BermondseyUntil 26 January, free. Source: Internet

Koester points out that the cities of Galatia in the north consist of Ankyra, Pessinus, and Gordium (of the Gordian Knot fame of Alexander the Great). Source: Internet

Close letter words and terms

Gordhan gordiaceous gordian Gordian worm Gordias Gordie