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
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
Noun
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plights
Verb
-
The company promises lower fares by giving drivers 100% of the rider's payment, cutting out commissions and fees on both sides.—
Naomi Ruchim,
CBS News,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Learning How to Skimo—With an E-Ski E-Skimo promises to cut the grind by 30 percent, meaning 30 percent less of a muscle workout—while boosting speed by 80 percent, potentially extending range fourfold.—
Kendall Hunter,
Outside,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Winning from behind is not sustainable, and the predicaments in which Chelsea have found themselves this week point to other problems.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Rustin has slyly given her script a focus on women’s needs and feelings, a welcome departure for a genre that usually is more concerned about the men’s predicaments.—
Matthew J. Palm,
The Orlando Sentinel,
18 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Current totals of seven league goals and four assists suggest those early-season tribulations have been vanquished.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Such tribulations have hidden the kind of personal growth that Kerr has undergone as a coach, even if the record does not indicate it.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
25 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
The year 2025 saw the release of Mariam Rahmani’s Liquid, a novel about a scholar in Los Angeles who vows to go on 100 dates to find a husband before a family tragedy pulls her to Tehran.—
Hafsa Lodi,
Vogue,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Kimberly renewed their wedding vows just days before his death on February 11.—
Christina Perrier,
InStyle,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The venues in Beijing were mostly empty, and the teams were isolated from each other, subject to daily COVID tests and other inconveniences that put a notable damper on the experience.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
11 Feb. 2026
-
There's an affluent half of the population whose financial lives aren't disrupted by momentary inconveniences.—
Jessica Dickler,
CNBC,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Holly Sleppy, a 52-year-old who works at Virtua, shared her frustrations, which many menopausal women are feeling because of a shortage of the estrogen patches used to treat symptoms like hot flashes, irritability and brain fog.—
Stephanie Stahl,
CBS News,
18 Feb. 2026
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Elfman, sharing the board’s frustrations, said Foxboro’s police and fire chiefs have been preparing for the World Cup for over three years.—
Lance Reynolds,
Boston Herald,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Taking steps to limit exposure to potential irritants like chemicals is also important.—
Helen Carefoot,
Flow Space,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Volunteers spoke of the risks of verbal and physical confrontations with ICE agents, including the use of pepper spray and other irritants against observers and even arrests.—
Ray Sanchez,
CNN Money,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Projects such as Link at Boca will help but cannot solve Tri-Rail’s financial troubles.—
Abigail Hasebroock,
Sun Sentinel,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Kamilla’s earache and hearing troubles have been among their biggest concerns.—
Mike Hixenbaugh,
NBC news,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Plights.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plights. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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