ordeal

noun

ȯr-ˈdē(-ə)l How to pronounce ordeal (audio)
Definition of ordealnext
as in gauntlet
a test of faith, patience, or strength the hikers were finally rescued after a three-day ordeal in the wilderness

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 ordeal During the ordeal, Del Mar started a group called Fathers Helping Fathers, which advocated for unwed or divorced fathers seeking legal advice on custody. — Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2026 The strikes in Riyadh have killed at least 13 people and wounded hundreds — some of the survivors were allowed to speak about their ordeal to Saudi state TV over the weekend. — Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 26 Oct. 2026 Heidi Levine, the Washington Post journalist brutally attacked by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank last week, said the terrifying ordeal has only strengthened her resolve to continue covering the plight of Palestinians. — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026 Now, Mohammed Ali Naqvi (Netflix’s Turning Point, Showtime’s Shame) has turned the harrowing ordeal into Hanging by a Wire, a feature documentary that premiered at Sundance. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ordeal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ordeal
  1. gauntlet
  2. trial
  3. fire
  4. cross
Noun
  • What made the Trojans’ previous losses so galling was the gauntlet ahead of them, starting with Ohio State.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2026
  • The gauntlet of the NFC West awaits with a home game against the 49ers in two weeks and back-to-back road trips (with a bye in between) to take on the Seahawks and Rams.
    — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of gauntlet
Noun
  • Au Kam San, a Macao pro-democracy former lawmaker, was sentenced to 12½ years in prison after a closed-door trial that raised concerns about fairness in the Chinese casino hub's first national security case since the law was enacted in 2009.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Nov. 2026
  • The case was one of several lawsuits related to the social media personal injury trial that Meta and YouTube lost earlier this year.
    — Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of trial
Noun
  • In Palm Beach County, Amendment 3 could mean higher fees for beach parking, water, sewer, police, fire, parks, museums and libraries, and longer response times for emergency services.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Raman has portrayed Bass as a weak and ineffective leader, pointing to her handling of the Palisades fire, the homelessness crisis and the city’s ongoing struggle to deliver basic services.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of fire
Noun
  • Quinn Sullivan started the sequence with a cross in front of goal that Indiana Vassilev settled and pulled goalkeeper William Yarbrough out of his area to find Cavan Sullivan for a close-range finish into an empty net.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 8 Nov. 2026
  • Whereas Paintstroke evokes a wet stripe of pigment, Chalk Line juxtaposes raised cross-hatchings against a neutral ground.
    — Livia Caligor, Architectural Digest, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of cross

Browse Nearby Words

ordains
ordeal
ordeals
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Cite this Entry

“Ordeal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ordeal. Accessed 9 Nov. 2026.

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