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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Recent Examples of plight
Gina Lee Castro, Journal Sentinel, 11 Oct. 2024
Not for months, but for years, plighting their troth.
—Guy Martin, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024
Cam Inman, Mercury News, 23 Oct. 2025
The hip-hop community has long held a mirror to the world and amplified the people’s plight.
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for plight
Noun
Latino history in the U.S. is plighted with systemic issues from mass deportations in the 1920s and 1930s, to poor working conditions for farm workers, to segregated schools, to arrests and stereotypes during the war on drugs.
—Gina Lee Castro, Journal Sentinel, 11 Oct. 2024
Not for months, but for years, plighting their troth.
—Guy Martin, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024
Verb
A week after looking aghast in Tampa Bay at the 49ers’ injury-riddled plight, Williams had a different view of things this past Sunday night, all while basking in the glow of victory and a 5-2 record.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 23 Oct. 2025
The hip-hop community has long held a mirror to the world and amplified the people’s plight.
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for plight
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plight
Noun
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As of this July, 58% of students who wrapped up college in the past year were still trying to find stable work, compared to 25% of millennials and Gen Xers who faced the same predicament.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
28 Oct. 2025
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Despite an abundance of resources to help with that, many sellers put themselves in a predicament from the start.—
Aldo Svaldi,
Denver Post,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Potential adversaries interpret political action in zero-sum terms; see malice and evil design in mere blunders and coincidence; trumpet necessity rather than navigate choice; and, in extreme cases, invent pretext or promise profit to make more palatable a dubious cause.—
Elizabeth D. Samet,
Foreign Affairs,
29 Oct. 2025
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Struggling with a lack of career opportunities, Gen Z is second-guessing the worth of pricey college degrees, which once promised them six-figure jobs.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
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That driving tension and anxiety are largely thanks to the team of artisans, which included composer Volker Bertelmann, editor Kirk Baxter and sound designer Paul Ottosson, who worked closely behind the scenes on their respective crafts to bring it together.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
25 Oct. 2025
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That sense of anxiety is present throughout the book, most vividly in a wide shot of a group of cheerleaders rehearsing in a gym.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Kennedy vowed early in his tenure as HHS secretary to get to the root causes of Autism, as the disorder has been drastically rising since the early 2000s.—
Molly Parks,
The Washington Examiner,
28 Oct. 2025
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The political gesture didn’t mesh well with the Israeli culture and sports minister Miki Zohar, who immediately vowed to cut funding for the Israeli Film Academy’s Ophir Awards.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Tillery also advises her clients to skip overpacking and go with carry-on luggage to avoid unnecessary baggage fees or inconveniences if there are flight changes.—
Essence,
Essence,
24 Oct. 2025
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The theme of all this is that screening, regardless of the inconvenience associated with the prep, is a must for everyone.—
Bryant Stamford,
Louisville Courier Journal,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In order to secure the loan, Chapman mortgaged the property with her brother Edward Chapman, who is also CEO of Marchesa.—
Natalia Senanayake,
PEOPLE,
17 Oct. 2025
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All of those general managers, at one point or another, mortgaged the future for the present.—
Josh Yohe,
New York Times,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The two got engaged in 2014 and have remained affianced since.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
Peoplemag,
5 May 2023
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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
Verb
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The Le Creuset Dutch stands at the ready in our Test Kitchen for any stewing and braising needs, and Firkser also swears by hers at home.—
Noah Kaufman,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
29 Oct. 2025
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The League of Women Voters analysis was based largely on public records, including court filings, sworn testimony, grand jury reports, a state audit and the Sheriff’s Office’s own data.—
Jeff McDonald,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Plight.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plight. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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