odyssey
noun
a long series of wanderings or adventures, especially when filled with notable experiences, hardships, etc.
odyssey
American
[od-uh-see]
/ ˈɒd ə si /
noun
-
odysseys
plural
-
a long series of wanderings or adventures, especially when filled with notable experiences, hardships, etc.
-
The Odyssey. an epic poem attributed to Homer, describing Odysseus's adventures in his ten-year attempt to return home to Ithaca after the Trojan War.
Odyssey
British
/ ˈɒdɪsɪ /
noun
-
a Greek epic poem, attributed to Homer, describing the ten-year homeward wanderings of Odysseus after the fall of Troy
-
(often not capital) any long eventful journey
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How does odyssey compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Ever since Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey told the story of warrior Odysseus’ ten-year journey home from Troy, odyssey has meant any epic journey. As with the word journey, odyssey has both a literal meaning and a figurative one. A cross-country drive in which your car breaks down can be an odyssey, but so can the journey from orientation to finals that is the freshman year of college.
Vocabulary lists containing odyssey
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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.
See Examples For:
"It is a completely different experience," said photographer Hemant Chaturvedi, 58, who has documented what remains during a seven-year odyssey, photographing 1,350 single-screen cinemas across 1,000 towns.
From Barron's ● Sep. 27, 2026
The creator of ‘How to With John Wilson’ makes his feature debut with a documentary that moves beyond its nominal subject to become a gleefully tangential odyssey of art and life.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
In terms of the album’s reception history, “Revolver” has enjoyed a strange odyssey in the United States.
From Salon ● Aug. 5, 2026
And it reminds us that there are still lands to discover on the odyssey that is quantum research.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 4, 2026
True, I was coming to enjoy the dizziness, the vertigo that must come with any odyssey.
From "Between the World and Me" by Ta-Nehisi Coates
The Odyssey has some competition for the Best Picture Oscar!
From Slate ● Oct. 15, 2026
In many cases, dealmakers’ focus has shifted from making new investments toward grinding through portfolio operations, which many find less engaging, said Anthony Keizner, co-founder of recruiting firm Odyssey Search Partners.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026
The British actor has already starred opposite Zendaya in The Drama, and played a key role in summer blockbuster The Odyssey.
From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026
Smelling a story, Cohn took a taxi out to Brooklyn’s 2001 Odyssey club.
From Salon ● Oct. 8, 2026
I’d sit in the chair and read to him from various paperbacks I’d bring in, stuff like The Odyssey or One Thousand and One Nights.
From "Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro
The international team of researchers were able to piece together the separate odysseys from photos of the whales' tails -- including some taken by amateur photographers on cruises -- captured decades apart.
From Barron's ● May 20, 2026
In person, she has a newfound ease and confidence that suggests her nocturnal odysseys paid off.
From BBC ● Apr. 2, 2026
For the past three decades, the French writer Sylvain Tesson has chronicled his love for extreme adventures, embracing odysseys that test his mental and physical endurance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 11, 2025
But the eye reflex test, on its own, could clear the way to more expedient autism diagnosis for kids today, saving families from long diagnostic odysseys.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 28, 2024
The same which you had given Odysseus for we too endure our own odysseys.
From Rhyme and Reason; a Compilation of Verses, Rhymes and Senses by Dom
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