charybdis
/kəˈrɪbdɪs/
noun
- A dangerous situation or force that you must avoid, especially when trying to avoid another danger at the same time.
- The company had to choose between laying off workers or going bankrupt, a true Scylla and Charybdis.
- In the negotiation, she felt caught between a rock and a hard place, like Scylla and Charybdis.
- He was trapped between his demanding job and his family obligations, a modern Charybdis.
- In Greek mythology, a dangerous whirlpool that sucked in and destroyed ships.
- Ancient sailors told stories of Charybdis swallowing entire vessels.
- The myth of Charybdis warned sailors about the dangers of the Strait of Messina.
- Odysseus had to steer his ship carefully to avoid the whirlpool Charybdis.