as in gauntlet
a test of faith, patience, or strength
the hikers were finally rescued after a three-day ordeal in the wilderness
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ordeal
During the ordeal, interviewees must go to multiple stations where they’re challenged to respond to different rescue scenarios.
—
Jayme Moye, Outside, 27 Feb. 2026
Facing a $6 billion financial impact from the ordeal, Pratt & Whitney reached out to ATI which already supplied some forgings to them, Fields said.
—Sasha Richie, Dallas Morning News, 27 Feb. 2026
But for Saedi’s family, like so many others, the ordeal did not end with his death.
—Jomana Karadsheh, CNN Money, 26 Feb. 2026
The ordeal has escalated to personal jabs at family members and diss tracks.
—Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ordeal
Jayme Moye, Outside, 27 Feb. 2026
Facing a $6 billion financial impact from the ordeal, Pratt & Whitney reached out to ATI which already supplied some forgings to them, Fields said.
—Sasha Richie, Dallas Morning News, 27 Feb. 2026
But for Saedi’s family, like so many others, the ordeal did not end with his death.
—Jomana Karadsheh, CNN Money, 26 Feb. 2026
The ordeal has escalated to personal jabs at family members and diss tracks.
—Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ordeal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ordeal
Noun
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The match kicks off a grueling gauntlet of contests.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Arch had his pick of colleges, but Kilgore put him through the gauntlet anyway.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Details of how a trial would move forward with states that don’t sign on to the settlement will be decided later.—
Josh Sisco,
Bloomberg,
9 Mar. 2026
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Rocky declined to take the stand during the trial.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Jacob Ulibarri spent about six hours on New Year’s Day last year squashing hot spots where the Lachman fire had burned.—
Alene Tchekmedyian,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
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Images from the site showed the charred shell of the bus after the fire was brought under control.—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
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None were more notable than Biel’s 68th-minute goal off a slithering cross from Liel Abada, and then Biel’s stoppage-time goal to seal it.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Mar. 2026
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Zaha, with 96 Premier League goal contributions to his name, received the ball near the top of the penalty box, took out two defenders with a nifty move and whipped a vicious cross toward the back post, where Toklomati popped up to tap the ball home.—
David Eckert,
Austin American Statesman,
7 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ordeal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ordeal. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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