as in anxieties
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 plights
Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2026
Given the tyrannical inferno that engulfed these precariously united states, my personal plights were mere embers, ashes, in the grand scheme of things.
—Literary Hub, 26 Feb. 2026
Then again, that slightly generic quality never impinges on the film’s characterizations, and allows viewers to extrapolate the finer points of this story to the plights of so many other refugees, from Syria and elsewhere.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 27 Jan. 2026
The particular bodily plights of the thirty-something jock don’t stem simply from the inherent risk imbued in competitive sports.
—Grace Perry, Outside, 1 Jan. 2026
Our reviewer was captivated by the evocative writing and moved by the characters’ plights.
—Heller McAlpin, Christian Science Monitor, 13 May 2025
Noun
At great personal risk, Hadi connected me with dissidents, political prisoners, and their relatives, who all described their plights as the regime’s repressive campaign escalated in the weeks leading up to the war.
—Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2026
Given the tyrannical inferno that engulfed these precariously united states, my personal plights were mere embers, ashes, in the grand scheme of things.
—Literary Hub, 26 Feb. 2026
Then again, that slightly generic quality never impinges on the film’s characterizations, and allows viewers to extrapolate the finer points of this story to the plights of so many other refugees, from Syria and elsewhere.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 27 Jan. 2026
The particular bodily plights of the thirty-something jock don’t stem simply from the inherent risk imbued in competitive sports.
—Grace Perry, Outside, 1 Jan. 2026
Our reviewer was captivated by the evocative writing and moved by the characters’ plights.
—Heller McAlpin, Christian Science Monitor, 13 May 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plights
Verb
-
The brand promises a comfortable fit – and breathability – for pets of different sizes.—
Tanya Edwards,
USA Today,
1 May 2026
-
Sunday morning promises to be another marathon with miles of cheers.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The madman strategy is for not-crazy leaders caught in adverse predicaments.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Journeys that used to take entire seasons were being covered in single episodes, characters survived predicaments that once meant surefire death, and previously relevant factors like supplies, infrastructure, and alliances no longer mattered.—
Tim Brinkhof,
Big Think,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Those are the players in recent memory who’ve commanded the kind of draft capital that reshapes franchises — the sort of seismic move that mortgages a future and, in return, attaches expectations normally reserved for franchise-carrying superstars.—
Kristian Winfield,
Hartford Courant,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The new film, which is both written and directed by the franchise’s longtime screenwriter John Hamburg, sees Grande play Olivia Jones, the fiancé of Pam and Greg Focker’s son who now has to endure the tribulations of meeting the parents (and grandparents) before joining the family.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
15 Apr. 2026
-
That was Mark Critchley’s cue to interview Maguire about his tribulations in Manchester (and his harder times with the England national team, too).—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Creasy vows to avenge the Rayburns’ death and protect Poe (Billie Boullet), Rayburn’s teenage daughter who survived and witnessed the attack.—
Lynsey Eidell,
PEOPLE,
2 May 2026
-
Mayor vows to catch 'thugs who did this' Baton Rouge Mayor Sid Edwards promised that law enforcement will catch the people responsible for the violence at the mall.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
These are not small inconveniences.—
Linh Tat,
Oc Register,
4 May 2026
-
The modern world forces us to waste time doing cost-benefit analyses of various inconveniences.—
Caroline Mimbs Nyce,
New Yorker,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Not all of Reform’s support stems from frustrations of urban decay.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
6 May 2026
-
Instead, each character has her own distinct personality, her own specific frustrations with her life, and her own approach to working through those issues in song.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
Caffeine, alcohol and certain acidic or spicy foods can act as bladder irritants for some people.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
1 May 2026
-
An open window, your shoes, or even your clothing could bring in pollen or other outdoor irritants.—
Angie Hicks,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Plights.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plights. Accessed 7 May. 2026.
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