Gordian knot

Jump To:

can of worms n.
enigma n.

NOUN

can of worms

Synonyms

WEAK

Pandora's box complex problem complexity complication difficult situation difficulty dog's breakfast entanglement hard nut to crack headache hornet's nest hot water mare's nest mess predicament problem quagmire quandary snafu snake pit snarl trouble troublesome problem unpredictable situation

NOUN

enigma

Synonyms

STRONGEST

conundrum puzzle

STRONG

bewilderment cliffhanger crux cryptogram grabber knot mystification parable perplexity problem puzzlement puzzler question riddle secret sphinx sticker stickler stumper teaser twister why

WEAK

mind-boggler mind-twister question mark sixty-four dollar question tough nut to crack

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:

Gordian knot

Could the administration try to unravel this Gordian knot by suppressing prices and pushing for easy money?

From Barron's ● Dec. 5, 2025

If generations of diplomats viewed the post-Soviet challenges of Eastern Europe as a Gordian knot to be painstakingly unraveled, the president envisioned an easy fix: The borders matter less than the business.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 29, 2025

Shapiro dexterously untangles the Gordian knot of their entwined passions, shared ambitions and business bottom lines.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 11, 2025

Remember the I-95 collapse in Philadelphia last June, which seemed poised to snarl East Coast traffic in a Gordian knot?

From Slate ● Mar. 26, 2024

Now understanding the maze’s algorithm, he took up his pencil again, cut though the Gordian knot, and completed the task.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

Gordian knot

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Related Words