crucible

noun

ˈkrü-sə-bəl How to pronounce crucible (audio)
Definition of cruciblenext
as in ordeal
a test of faith, patience, or strength soldiers who had withstood the crucible of war

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of crucible His new life was an intense crucible of monastic discipline, complex logic, and rote memorization. — Charlie Campbell, Time, 9 July 2026 Only time will tell how many new soccer fans were forged from the crucible of this World Cup, but the TV and streaming deliveries have never been higher. — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 8 July 2026 England is a contender with mettle to prove, and facing Mexico at Estadio Azteca is a crucible. — Phil Hay, New York Times, 4 July 2026 The moral life, writes Murdoch, is not about self-mastery in the crucible of moral struggle. — Meghan O’Gieblyn, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for crucible
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crucible
  1. ordeal
  2. fire
  3. gauntlet
  4. trial
Noun
  • As far as Davis was told, once the ordeal was handled, the player simply asked for a different helmet and returned to practice.
    — Devon Henderson, New York Times, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Nobody was injured during the snake sighting and rescue, the NYPD said in a statement, though the ordeal did leave some Upper West Side residents a bit shaken.
    — Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of ordeal
Noun
  • Police and fire services already represent the largest category of city spending in California.
    — Mariana Trujillo, Oc Register, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The fires have since been extinguished, according to officials.
    — Richard Ramos, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of fire
Noun
  • Perhaps in writing it, Salinger was trying to negotiate whether his remarkable survival through some of the war’s worst gauntlets could be chalked up to dumb luck, or divine intervention.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Aug. 2026
  • People committing crimes may now run a surveillance gauntlet to and from the scene, leaving a digital trail that can identify them much like fingerprints.
    — Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of gauntlet
Noun
  • Najib was later detained and became one of the highest-ranking officials to be put on trial.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • There is no methodology which precisely calculates this number, but good trial attorneys can usually get within the ballpark based on their past experiences with similar cases.
    — Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of trial

Browse Nearby Words

crucial
crucible
crucibles
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Cite this Entry

“Crucible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crucible. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on crucible

Nglish: Translation of crucible for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about crucible

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