Phrase guide

Sisyphean labour

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • UK: /ˌsɪsɪˈfiːən ˈleɪbə/
  • US: /ˌsɪsəˈfiːən ˈleɪbɚ/

1

noun

Meaning 1

A task that is both laborious and futile.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK, figuratively

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

7 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Danish: sisyfosarbejde — arduous and fruitless labor
  • Polish: syzyfowa praca — arduous and fruitless labor
  • Polish: beczka Danaid — arduous and fruitless labor
  • Russian: сизи́фов труд (sizífov trud) — arduous and fruitless labor
  • Swedish: sisyfosarbete — arduous and fruitless labor
  • Ukrainian: сізі́фова пра́ця (sizífova prácja) — arduous and fruitless labor
  • Ukrainian: сізі́фова робо́та (sizífova robóta) — arduous and fruitless labor