variants
also gantlet
as in ordeal
a test of faith, patience, or strength
before being adopted, school textbooks must often run the gauntlet of several local and state committees
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gauntlet
After surviving the gauntlet that is the opening rounds of March Madness, the Sweet 16 is an accomplishment on its own and for some of these teams – the Hawkeyes especially – the Elite Eight is just a dream.
—
Jacob Lev, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2026
Then, the April gauntlet begins.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2026
Post-punk bands face few gauntlets as arduous as the slow song, and Landowner challenge themselves to traverse three of them.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 24 Mar. 2026
Historically one of the most competitive divisions in MLB, the AL East should once again be a gauntlet with four teams expected to be in the postseason hunt.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 21 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gauntlet
Jacob Lev, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2026
Then, the April gauntlet begins.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2026
Post-punk bands face few gauntlets as arduous as the slow song, and Landowner challenge themselves to traverse three of them.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 24 Mar. 2026
Historically one of the most competitive divisions in MLB, the AL East should once again be a gauntlet with four teams expected to be in the postseason hunt.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 21 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gauntlet
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gauntlet
Noun
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Morning anchors like Katie Couric and Robin Roberts who have dealt with personal challenges — the death of a spouse or a medical ordeal — returned to illuminate issues tied to their tests.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
8 Apr. 2026
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Weeks would pass, and, strangely, despite his ordeal, Schiller did not report it to police.—
Troy Roberts,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Both people who live in Kansas City and people who work in Kansas City currently pay 1% of their income into the city’s general fund, which funds 45% of the city’s general budget and pays for services like trash collection, fire services and affordable housing programs.—
The Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
8 Apr. 2026
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Yearning to light some tech on fire is a relatable feeling these days, as generative artificial intelligence promises to supplant nearly every form of non-physical labor, social media wreaks havoc on the mental health of young people, and massive data centers loom as environmental blights.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In the usual course of things, a promising drug candidate would be ushered into human trials.—
Dhruv Khullar,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
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As it’s applied today, the law allows trial attorneys to prey on the state’s small and mid-sized businesses — filing frivolous, costly lawsuits over even the most minor violation of California’s complex labor code.—
Tom Manzo,
Oc Register,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gauntlet.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gauntlet. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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