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plight 1 of 2

noun

Definition of plightnext
as in predicament
a very bad or difficult situation
—usually singular The recent cut in funding will only contribute to the hospital's financial plight. the plight of the unemployed

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plight

2 of 2

verb

as in to promise

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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 plight
Noun
Authors of literary fiction who take on the plight of the modern American male, such as Klay and Conroe, treat it as totalizing in its gravity. — T. M. Brown, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2026 Thompson is particularly skilled at emotionally investing in his character’s plight even as the spontaneous production refuses to take itself too seriously. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026 Behold the plight of the Ryan Murphy character, cursed to behave nonsensically and flit wildly from plotline to plotline based on the writer’s whims. — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026 Her plight highlights how China's pressure against the church and those affiliated with it continues, despite Jin's release. — ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for plight
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plight
  1. predicament
  2. promise
  3. anxiety
  4. vow
  5. inconvenience
  6. mortgage
  7. tribulation
  8. affiance
Noun
  • Her mother hustled her to hospital, only for the doctors to realize Accurso’s active imagination had left her in the same predicament as Madeline’s friends.
    — CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 15 Sep. 2026
  • For their part, the Reiners attempted to work through their predicament not just via the therapeutic process but the creative one.
    — Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of predicament
Verb
  • The nano-container challenge The concept is promising, but sensitivity remains a major obstacle.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 23 Sep. 2026
  • And Oscar, stunned at his victory, promises to use his winnings to take the whole cast and crew to dinner.
    — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of promise
Noun
  • Plus, the recent detention of several Haitian pastors by immigration authorities is fueling even more anxiety among congregants.
    — Lauren Costantino September 19, Miami Herald, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Given the characters’ extreme situation, black humor also feels natural—a way of protecting themselves from anxiety and fear.
    — Anna Marie de la Fuente, Variety, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of anxiety
Verb
  • Beijing has rejected such accusations as groundless and vowed to retaliate if Washington moves to target Chinese AI companies.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Sep. 2026
  • While begrudgingly settling, the WGA vowed to keep up the fight, focusing on a reinstatement of fin-syn rules for the streaming era.
    — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of vow
Noun
  • At least the latter gives you something to do with yourself during the awkward time that was really just meant for wedding party photo opportunities with no thought of the inconvenience to the guests.
    — Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Their objections aren’t just about aesthetics or inconvenience.
    — Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of inconvenience
Verb
  • And there is anger at being ignored, sidelined, having our economic futures mortgaged by the generations that came before us on everything from the economy to climate.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Aug. 2026
  • How To Say No Without Damaging Relationships Leaders who never build the time management skill of triage put their most important priorities at risk, mortgaging that work in more ways than one.
    — Cynthia Pong, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of mortgage
Noun
  • New York’s summer weather has been a trial and a tribulation, intense heat — temperatures reached over 100 degrees in Central Park on the hottest day in July — alternating with gales and floods.
    — Matthew Schneier, Curbed, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Irene can do the hard things and get through whatever tribulations get thrown her way.
    — Liz Rosenberg, The Conversation, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of tribulation
Verb
  • The two got engaged in 2014 and have remained affianced since.
    — Stephanie Sengwe, Peoplemag, 5 May 2023
  • Alexandra Crotin, a rep for Stone, later confirmed to USA TODAY the actress and writer are now affianced.
    — Charles Trepany, USA TODAY, 5 Dec. 2019
Definition of affiance

Browse Nearby Words

plies (with)
plight
plighted
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Cite this Entry

“Plight.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plight. Accessed 24 Sep. 2026.

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