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
Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 27 May 2026
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
Noun
The movie, which will premiere June 10 at the fest, dramatizes the plights of Iranian civilians weeks before the United States and Israel invaded the country this year.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 27 May 2026
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
-
No matter the result of the final, a million people are expected to line the streets of North London to celebrate at least one major trophy for their men’s team in a parade that promises to end all soccer parades.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
-
The Red Sea destination promises barefoot luxury that leaves a light footprint, redefining what an upscale travel experience can be.—
Lauren Keith,
Robb Report,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
Rather than bridging shortfalls, both Seattle and Washington now face more difficult fiscal predicaments, Joblon said.—
Aldo Svaldi,
Denver Post,
18 May 2026
-
The madman strategy is for not-crazy leaders caught in adverse predicaments.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
8 Apr. 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
-
While Doherty’s Prue gets Piper to a hospital, Piper dies in her arms, and Prue vows to bring her back.—
Brianna Zigler,
Entertainment Weekly,
2 June 2026
-
Earlier this month, Matsui’s campaign came after Vang for taking corporate donations from Sacramento-area businesses during her city council campaigns, implying that Vang’s vows to not accept money from corporate PACs in her congressional bid is hypocritical.—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
Over time, such inconveniences became insulation.—
Spencer Elliott,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
-
One of the priorities for the team was to create a product that feels more like sleeping in a bed rather than in a sleeping bag, so a lot of effort went into reducing typical inconveniences.—
Maryna Holovnova,
New Atlas,
27 May 2026
Noun
-
Lahn seized on those frustrations.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
3 June 2026
-
Body language aside, Brown also didn’t share his frustrations publicly, declining to speak with reporters.—
Saad Yousuf,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
Asked about Valdez, Bis said law enforcement deployed chemical irritants including pepper balls, but not rubber bullets, after agitators attempted to breach the perimeter at Glass House Farms.—
Andrea Castillo,
Los Angeles Times,
26 May 2026
-
For decades, scientists assumed the primary purpose of sneezing was simply to expel irritants from the upper airway.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Plights.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plights. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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