The Odyssey

Cultural

An ancient Greek epic by Homer that recounts the adventures of Odysseus during his return from the war in Troy to his home in the Greek island of Ithaca. (See Odysseus and Troy under “Mythology and Folklore”; see also Penelope, Circe, and Cyclops.)

Discover More

Figuratively, an “odyssey” is any difficult, prolonged journey.

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:

The Odyssey

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

Another key trend identified by Kotsoni's team is the idea of the modern goddess - a take on the styles of Ancient Greece and a nod to Christopher Nolan's hit film The Odyssey this summer.

From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026

Christopher Nolan's epic "The Odyssey" slipped to third, bringing in $19.5 million, down 17 percent in its sixth weekend, for a current domestic total of $539.1 million.

From Barron's ● Aug. 23, 2026

That means it is holding ground against Hollywood blockbusters like The Odyssey and Spider Man: Brand New Day.

From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026

The Odyssey, an epic poem about a hero’s journey home from war, ends with reunion and peace.

From "Enrique's Journey" by Sonia Nazario

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023