sword of Damocles
noun phrase
sword of Dam·o·cles
-ˈda-mə-ˌklēz 
often capitalized S
: an impending disaster
Examples of sword of Damocles in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
That’s because the threat of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan hangs over its head like a sword of Damocles.
—
John Dorfman, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
Until then, Argentina’s capital controls and the peso will remain his sword of Damocles.
—Guy Petcho, National Review, 19 Mar. 2025
But there’s one effect that is still looming over the industry like a sword of Damocles: a recession brought about by economic uncertainty.
—Michael Lynch, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
By that point, the TV veteran had been unemployed for more than six months, and his children’s private school tuitions were looming over him like the sword of Damocles.
—Marc Weingarten, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2024
But their unhappiness with the IDF’s current mandate to recruit ultra-Orthodox men remains a sword of Damocles.
—Mick Krever, CNN, 27 Sep. 2024
Then there’s the data center sword of Damocles that skewered Alphabet.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 29 July 2024
Bottom line: the Supreme Court has allowed the Louisiana's new congressional map to go into effect, but with a sword of Damocles over its head, namely the constitutional challenge to the Voting Rights Act.
—Nina Totenberg, NPR, 15 May 2024
Effectively, the potential for the problem of space junk to cascade out of control is a sword of Damocles hanging over the entire space industry.
—Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 10 Jan. 2023
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John Dorfman, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
Until then, Argentina’s capital controls and the peso will remain his sword of Damocles.
—Guy Petcho, National Review, 19 Mar. 2025
But there’s one effect that is still looming over the industry like a sword of Damocles: a recession brought about by economic uncertainty.
—Michael Lynch, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
By that point, the TV veteran had been unemployed for more than six months, and his children’s private school tuitions were looming over him like the sword of Damocles.
—Marc Weingarten, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2024
But their unhappiness with the IDF’s current mandate to recruit ultra-Orthodox men remains a sword of Damocles.
—Mick Krever, CNN, 27 Sep. 2024
Then there’s the data center sword of Damocles that skewered Alphabet.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 29 July 2024
Bottom line: the Supreme Court has allowed the Louisiana's new congressional map to go into effect, but with a sword of Damocles over its head, namely the constitutional challenge to the Voting Rights Act.
—Nina Totenberg, NPR, 15 May 2024
Effectively, the potential for the problem of space junk to cascade out of control is a sword of Damocles hanging over the entire space industry.
—Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 10 Jan. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Sword of Damocles.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sword%20of%20Damocles. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.
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