vicissitude

noun

Definition of vicissitudenext
as in ordeal
a negative event or circumstance that is common to a particular setting or situation and is usually beyond one's control The vicissitudes of medical school proved too much for the anxious student.

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of vicissitude Their vicissitudes are both timely and for all time. — Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor, 17 Dec. 2025 Whatever its reputation, the OIGC is still subject to the vicissitudes of other arts organizations. — Andrew Gilbert, Mercury News, 1 Dec. 2025 By using non-actors who have endured the vicissitudes of the world, Laxe didn’t have to develop the characters in a conventional way. — Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 12 Nov. 2025 Renaissance has prided itself on a debt-free history, despite the vicissitudes of performing arts fundraising. — Jim Higgins, jsonline.com, 24 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for vicissitude
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vicissitude
  1. ordeal
  2. gauntlet
  3. misfortune
  4. privation
Noun
  • In a later video, the passenger who filmed the ordeal then goes to guest services to explain the issue and express her concerns.
    — Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 23 July 2026
  • The eruption unfolded in five phases over about 24 hours, a harrowing, cumulative ordeal for unsuspecting residents.
    — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
Definition of ordeal
Noun
  • Rather than throwing down the gauntlet, gather information and approach the situation with an open mind.
    — Sherri Gordon, Parents, 21 July 2026
  • With nature’s molecule at the core, the drug candidate then faces the same gauntlet of clinical trials as any other, a process that often spans a decade or more.
    — Steve Midway, STAT, 16 July 2026
Definition of gauntlet
Noun
  • That 1982 campaign was typical of the misfortune that plagued Keegan’s international career.
    — James Pearce, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • Deer-Proof Your Garden To keep your flowers from being gobbled up by deer—one of the most heartbreaking of all garden misfortunes—choose flowers that people find glorious and deer find disgusting.
    — Mary Alice Russell, Southern Living, 13 July 2026
Definition of misfortune
Noun
  • Yamal has spoken about being recognised on the street at 13, the privations of fame accrued before puberty.
    — Jack Lang, New York Times, 18 July 2026
  • Still, the mesh grids spreading across Haiti's countryside prove that the country's energy story may transcend the privation.
    — Ken Silverstein, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of privation

Browse Nearby Words

viciousness
vicissitude
vicissitudes
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“Vicissitude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vicissitude. Accessed 24 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on vicissitude

Nglish: Translation of vicissitude for Spanish Speakers

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