tartarus Definition
(in Greek mythology) the lowest region of the underworld, where the wicked were punished.
Using tartarus: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "tartarus" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The Titans were imprisoned in Tartarus after their defeat by the Olympians.
Example
In Dante's Inferno, Tartarus is depicted as a place of punishment for the sin of heresy.
Example
The mythological figure Sisyphus was condemned to an eternity of rolling a boulder up a hill in Tartarus.
tartarus Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms for tartarus
- underworld
- hell
- Hades
Phrases with tartarus
Example
The thought of being stuck in a dead-end job for the rest of his life filled him with dread, like being thrown into a Tartarus pit.
Example
The company's financial troubles had become a Tartarus knot that no one seemed able to untangle.
Example
After losing his job and going through a messy divorce, he fell into a deep depression and was diagnosed with Tartarus syndrome.
Origins of tartarus
from Greek 'Tartaros', the name of the deepest, darkest pit in the underworld
Summary: tartarus in Brief
'Tartarus' [ˈtɑːrtərəs] is the lowest region of the underworld in Greek mythology, where the wicked are punished. It is often used metaphorically to describe a place of great suffering or torment, as in 'The thought of being stuck in a dead-end job for the rest of his life filled him with dread, like being thrown into a Tartarus pit.' Other phrases include 'Tartarus knot,' referring to a difficult problem, and 'Tartarus syndrome,' a psychological condition characterized by feelings of hopelessness and despair.