Alexander the Great
Americannoun
noun
Discover More
Before beginning his conquests, Alexander allegedly unloosed the Gordian knot by cutting through it. It was believed that the person who unfastened the Gordian knot would rule a vast territory in Asia. Alexander founded the city of Alexandria, which became a great center of learning in Egypt (see also Egypt).
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The example they set by monetizing Greek military talent would lure many others into the freebooting life and ultimately lead, seven decades later, to the enormous plundering raids of Alexander the Great.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
This was the city on "one of the most important trade roads in the ancient world," where the first coin was minted and Alexander the Great visited, Uğurer said.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 25, 2026
In recent weeks, he’s been talking to other people about Napoleon and Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar, comparing himself to the most consequential Western leaders in history.
From Slate ● May 7, 2026
Wilson recalled feeling like she and Musk were "soul mates" and he was her own "Alexander the Great" in the lead-up to their wedding.
From Salon ● Mar. 12, 2025
Even the Muslim world, with its Eastern traditions, was heavily contaminated by the teachings of Aristotle, thanks to the conquests of Alexander the Great.
From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife
![]()
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.