plural ordeals
: an experience that is very unpleasant or difficult
—usually singular
Being trapped in the elevator was a harrowing ordeal for the shoppers.
the ordeal of cancer treatment
I need to find a way to make traveling less of an ordeal.
Cite this Entry
“Ordeal.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/ordeal. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
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