as in ordeal
a test of faith, patience, or strength
soldiers who had withstood the crucible of war
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Recent Examples of crucible
The city is internationally recognized as a crucible for the art form, from Louis Armstrong’s presence here in the 1920s to the influence of the South Side’s Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) on the international avant-garde.
—
Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 21 Jan. 2026
While a couple of those games were against minnows, his last three were in the Big 12 crucible.
—John Hollinger, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2026
This is a proper, authentic Sicilian eatery, which, while unfussy, is still a crucible of pride and local foodie culture with high standards of service.
—Rosalyn Wikeley, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Jan. 2026
Such a wellspring of material is seemingly inexhaustible, though the show strains a bit when working to match the festival shooting as a crucible that pushes its cast to the breaking point.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crucible
Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 21 Jan. 2026
While a couple of those games were against minnows, his last three were in the Big 12 crucible.
—John Hollinger, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2026
This is a proper, authentic Sicilian eatery, which, while unfussy, is still a crucible of pride and local foodie culture with high standards of service.
—Rosalyn Wikeley, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Jan. 2026
Such a wellspring of material is seemingly inexhaustible, though the show strains a bit when working to match the festival shooting as a crucible that pushes its cast to the breaking point.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crucible
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crucible
Noun
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Van Dyke’s girlfriend suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the ordeal, according to authorities.—
Joseph Wilkinson,
New York Daily News,
17 Feb. 2026
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Jackson said little publicly about his son’s wrongdoing, other than describing the ordeal as a difficult, trying time for the family and requesting prayers.—
Bob Goldsborough,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Carvalho discussed the event’s main goal, to mark a year since the beginning of recovery from the Altadena and Pacific Palisades fires in January of 2025.—
Daily News,
Daily News,
18 Feb. 2026
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While a celebratory mood spreads across the country, survivors of a deadly fire in Hong Kong are still grieving with little to celebrate, like this man who lost his wife in the blaze.—
CNN staff,
CNN Money,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
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That kicks off an 11-game gauntlet in which the Knicks face eight teams currently in playoff position and three others within striking distance of a play-in spot.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
16 Feb. 2026
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However, that doesn’t mean winning is guaranteed in the grueling gauntlet that’s the 6A Division I basketball playoffs.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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This case bears close similarities to the trials of James and Jennifer Crumbley, whose then-15-year-old son killed four students in 2021 at his high school in Oxford, Michigan.—
Eric Levenson,
CNN Money,
16 Feb. 2026
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The company has been negotiating a settlement, opposed by Slater, to avoid a trial that could break it up along the lines of its 2010 merger.—
Rohan Goswami,
semafor.com,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crucible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crucible. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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