ə sɔːrd əv ˈdæməkliːz
General
formal
advanced
- Literally:
- A sword hanging above Damocles by a single horsehair
What does "a sword of damocles" mean?
An ever-present threat or imminent danger that looms over someone
Examples
- The threat of redundancy hung over the employees like a sword of Damocles.
- For refugees, deportation is a sword of Damocles.
- The unresolved tax investigation was a sword of Damocles over the CEO's head.
Origin
From a Greek legend told by Cicero. Damocles noticed a sword hanging above his head by a single horsehair, representing constant peril.
How to use it
Used in formal and literary contexts to convey constant, unavoidable peril.
Similar expressions
looming threat
impending doom
Opposites
safety net
security blanket
Related idioms
- actions speak louder than words
What people do is more important than what they say
- better safe than sorry
It's better to be careful and prevent problems than to take risks
- so far so good
Things have gone well up to now
- easier said than done
Something is more difficult to do than to talk about
- make a long story short
To summarize or get to the point
- to make matters worse
In addition to existing problems
Use it in a practice answer
Try "a sword of damocles" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.