“Procrustean Bed” Meaning, Origin and Examples

Last updated on October 15, 2024 by Liam Daniel

The idiomatic phrase “Procrustean Bed” is one you may hear occasionally in conversation or see sporadically used in writing. This reference includes sections that explain the definition of the phrase, examples of its use, and alternatives that convey the same meaning.

By reading, you will gain a clearer understanding of the term’s origin and its application in sentences. This will help you use it accurately in your own communication.

Procrustean Bed Meaning, Origin and Usage

Key Takeaways

  • The useful idiomatic phrase “Procrustean bed” means forcing someone or something to fit or conform, generally through some type of violence.
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What Does “Procrustean Bed” Mean?

The phrase “Procrustean bed” refers to an arbitrary standard or framework that forces conformity, often through violent or extreme means.

In modern usage, it describes situations where different people, ideas, or things are forced into an unnatural or rigid framework, with no regard for individuality or suitability.

Origin of this Idiom

The metaphorical phrase “Procrustean bed” is derived from the story of Procrustes. Procrustes, a thief, was a character in a story from popular Greek mythology. It is said in this story that he would cut off the legs and arms of travelers if they were too tall or stretch them if they were too short to make them fit in his iron bed. In either case, the victim would die. Procrustes was later killed by the Greek hero Theseus. Since the writing of this story, the phrase “Procrustean bed” has been used in the sense of the definition stated above.

Usage of “Procrustean Bed”

  • Education:
    • “Treating every student the same, regardless of their learning needs, turns the classroom into a Procrustean bed.”
  • Workplace policies:
    • “The company’s rigid one-size-fits-all approach to work schedules feels like a Procrustean bed for employees with different needs.”
  • Legal context:
    • “The law should be flexible and not a Procrustean bed that forces everyone into the same mold without considering unique circumstances.”
  • Government regulations:
    • “These new regulations impose a Procrustean bed on businesses, ignoring the diverse challenges faced by different industries.”
  • Social expectations:
    • “Society’s narrow definitions of success act like a Procrustean bed, forcing people to conform and suppress their individuality.”

Related Terms to “Procrustean Bed”

  • One-size-fits-all – Refers to a solution or approach that is applied universally without consideration for individual differences.
  • Cookie-cutter – Describes something that is standardized, lacking originality, or forced into a uniform mold.
  • Rigid framework – A strict or inflexible structure that doesn’t allow for variation.
  • Force-fitting – The act of making something fit into an unnatural or inappropriate context.
  • Arbitrary standard – A rule or expectation set without regard to its fairness, logic, or relevance to specific situations.
  • Straightjacket – A metaphor for something that restricts freedom or flexibility.
  • Constraining – Implies restricting someone’s options or creativity in an unnatural or limiting way.
  • Dogmatic – Refers to an inflexible adherence to rules or beliefs, without considering other viewpoints.
  • Pigeonholing – The act of categorizing or labeling someone or something in a way that is too restrictive or simplified.
  • Stereotyping – Forcing people into preconceived, oversimplified categories based on assumptions.

Alternatives to “Procrustean Bed”

Some alternatives you can use in place of “Procrustean bed” to say the same thing include:

  • Ruthless tool
  • Relentless issue
  • Unmerciful situation

“Procrustean Bed” Examples

Example Sentences

  • The Procrustean bed that she felt she was forced to define her life ultimately led to her decision to commit suicide at the tender young age of 22.
  • The ideas that society has adopted regarding how all women should look to be attractive often becomes a Procrustean bed for teenage females.

Example Conversations

A conversation between a father and his son.

  • Son: I finally know what to compare my life to.
  • Father: And that would be?
  • Son: The story we read today about a Greek mythological thief Procrustes.
  • Father: Oh I know that story. Its the one about the thief who chopped people up or stretched them to fit in his bed right?
  • Son: Yes, that’s it.
  • Father: I fail to see how that describes your life?
  • Son: Because I am forced to conform to the rules at school and the rules you and mom have in this house even when I don’t want to.

A conversation between two friends who work together having coffee.

  • Friend 1: I hate this job!
  • Friend 2: Me too, but at least we are working.
  • Friend 1: Yes, but the rules keep changing all the time and they just expect us to conform it is sort of annoying.
  • Friend 2: Agreed! It’s a real Procrustean bed situation.
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