sword and sorcery
Of or pertaining to a genre of narratives—including short stories, novels, television shows, films, and computer games—which combines wizardry and other fantastical supernatural elements with violent combat using pre-modern weaponry.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“He loves reading books about sword and sorcery.”
“The bookstore has a large section dedicated to sword and sorcery novels for fans of fantasy adventures.”
“The film successfully captures the gritty, violent essence of the sword and sorcery genre, blending dark magic with brutal medieval combat.”
- 01
beat one's swords into ploughshares
To refrain from destructive military or paramilitary acts (war, terrorism, etc.) and put energy and resources to peaceful ends that would otherwise go to violence.
- 02
cross swords
To quarrel or argue with someone; to have a dispute with someone.
- 03
fall on one's sword
To resign from a job or other position of responsibility, especially when pressured to do so.
- 04
flesh one's maiden sword
To experience or succeed in combat or struggle for the first time, as in the military or in politics.
- 05
measure swords with
To match one's abilities against an antagonist's.
- 06
put to the sword
To execute, especially by using a sword.
- 07
sheathe the sword
To end a battle; to make peace.
- 08
the pen is mightier than the sword
More influence and power can be usurped by writing than by fighting.
Last updated August 10, 2026