Sisyphus

American  

[sis-uh-fuhs] / ˈsɪs ə fəs /

noun

Classical Mythology.

1. a son of Aeolus and ruler of Corinth, noted for his trickery: he was punished in Tartarus by being compelled to roll a stone to the top of a slope, the stone always escaping him near the top and rolling down again.

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Sisyphus British  

/ ˈsɪsɪfəs /

noun

1. Greek myth a king of Corinth, punished in Hades for his misdeeds by eternally having to roll a heavy stone up a hill: every time he approached the top, the stone escaped his grasp and rolled to the bottom

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Sisyphus Cultural  

1. A king in classical mythology who offended Zeus and was punished in Hades by being forced to roll an enormous boulder to the top of a steep hill. Every time the boulder neared the top, it would roll back down, and Sisyphus would have to start over.

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Discover More

A difficult and futile endeavor may be called a “labor of Sisyphus” or a “Sisyphean task.”

Etymology

Origin of Sisyphus

From Latin Sisyphus, from Greek Sísyphos; probably of pre-Greek origin

Example Sentences

But when I think of Sisyphus, I think of Philip Rivers: a quarterback who showed up every week, played through injuries and never reached the mountaintop.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 21, 2025

"Sisyphus was punished for his sins. For us it's a bit different," said Oleksandr, the plant's 53-year-old production manager.

From Barron's • Nov. 18, 2025

Like Sisyphus, many Americans probably feel like they continue to push a boulder up a hill, only for it to roll down the other side.

From Salon • Sep. 17, 2025

Kishore said climate change is making his job tougher, yet he said doesn’t feel like Sisyphus, the mythical man pushing a giant boulder up a hill.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 1, 2024

“Anna’s mom, the Dutch Tulip Man, Sisyphus the Hamster, I mean, just—what happens to everyone.”

From "The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green