as in distress
a state of great suffering of body or mind
a documentary chronicling the lasting tribulation of Holocaust survivors
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Recent Examples of tribulation
Ownership struggles, wars, economic collapses, and the ever-evolving tribulations of the automotive business brought constant change.
—
James Raia, Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2026
Set outside of Carson City, Nevada, during the 1860s on a fictional ranch called Ponderosa, the show followed the adventures and tribulations of the Cartwright family.
—David Faris, TheWeek, 18 Feb. 2026
The 30-year-old Somali American, who also co-owns a Mediterranean restaurant in the same area experiencing similar economic tribulations, described his coffee shops as local melting pots for Muslims and non-Muslims, East Africans and White people.
—Yahya Salem, CNN Money, 17 Feb. 2026
Plenty of male filmmakers have successfully aligned themselves with the daily tribulations of women — hello to the Dardenne brothers and Éric Rohmer, amongst others.
—Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tribulation
James Raia, Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2026
Set outside of Carson City, Nevada, during the 1860s on a fictional ranch called Ponderosa, the show followed the adventures and tribulations of the Cartwright family.
—David Faris, TheWeek, 18 Feb. 2026
The 30-year-old Somali American, who also co-owns a Mediterranean restaurant in the same area experiencing similar economic tribulations, described his coffee shops as local melting pots for Muslims and non-Muslims, East Africans and White people.
—Yahya Salem, CNN Money, 17 Feb. 2026
Plenty of male filmmakers have successfully aligned themselves with the daily tribulations of women — hello to the Dardenne brothers and Éric Rohmer, amongst others.
—Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tribulation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tribulation
Noun
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The lawsuit includes claims for battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress.—
Charisma Madarang,
Rolling Stone,
15 Apr. 2026
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In 2025, the hospital treated 257 children with puberty blockers and 549 with hormonal therapy for gender dysphoria, which is distress at the gap between a person’s sense of their gender and the way the world sees them.—
Meg Wingerter,
Denver Post,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
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This type of agony is always a detriment to mental health, even more so when someone is already predisposed to instability.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
17 Apr. 2026
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Her story became the focus of almost every main news outlet around the country, and people watched in agony for two days as rescuers attempted to save the toddler.—
Jordana Comiter,
PEOPLE,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The show is a propulsive hurricane of misery and cringe, from the violent incident that sets off this series of unfortunate events to the twists and horrors that unfold.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
16 Apr. 2026
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But putting all that effort toward something that’s not real weighs on him, and Isaac’s taut encapsulation of misery compliments a series that feeds on tension.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Sanders suffered injuries, including a concussion, headaches, possible traumatic brain injury, back and tailbone injuries and extreme mental anguish.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2026
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Examples include chronic pain, emotional anguish, anxiety, scarring or disfigurement, and the inability to enjoy your hobbies, sports, or daily activities.—
William Jones,
Sacbee.com,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
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To what extent can the nonrepresentation of pain cause pain?—
Jean Garnett,
New Yorker,
18 Apr. 2026
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Who Typically Gets This Surgery Per Cleveland Clinic, candidates typically have degenerative disc disease causing persistent neck pain, arm numbness, tingling or weakness that hasn’t responded to conservative treatment.—
Allison Palmer,
Miami Herald,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tribulation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tribulation. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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