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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Recent Examples of vicissitude
During the past 20 years, the newsroom has been hit with pay cuts, layoffs and furloughs on an almost yearly basis as the company attempts to respond to both the economy and the vicissitudes of an industry in constant flux.
—
John D'anna, azcentral, 19 May 2020
People who pay attention to the vicissitudes of Tesla CEO Elon Musk know that the man is not always serious on Twitter.
—Aarian Marshall, Wired, 10 May 2020
This last element—a form of legal financing called third-party litigation funding—proliferated during the 2008 recession, in part because lawsuits are somewhat insulated from the vicissitudes of the market.
—Francesca Mari, The Atlantic, 16 Apr. 2020
All of the biggest corporate mergers, the deals that determine the vicissitudes of our global markets, happen within their walls.
—Rachel Epstein, Marie Claire, 30 Mar. 2020
See All Example Sentences for vicissitude
John D'anna, azcentral, 19 May 2020
People who pay attention to the vicissitudes of Tesla CEO Elon Musk know that the man is not always serious on Twitter.
—Aarian Marshall, Wired, 10 May 2020
This last element—a form of legal financing called third-party litigation funding—proliferated during the 2008 recession, in part because lawsuits are somewhat insulated from the vicissitudes of the market.
—Francesca Mari, The Atlantic, 16 Apr. 2020
All of the biggest corporate mergers, the deals that determine the vicissitudes of our global markets, happen within their walls.
—Rachel Epstein, Marie Claire, 30 Mar. 2020
See All Example Sentences for vicissitude
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vicissitude
Noun
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According to Roach, the entire ordeal took about 10 hours.—
Abigail Adams,
PEOPLE,
12 Sep. 2025
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In 1986, the family’s ordeal captivated the region’s attention and drew dozens of national reporters to the area.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The YouTube sensation puts celebrities through a taste-testing gauntlet with progressively hotter wings.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
16 Sep. 2025
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Before this 12-game gauntlet began, Chisholm said the Yankees met away from the ballpark to discuss their play.—
Chris Kirschner,
New York Times,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
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What horrible family misfortune has Ingelsby cooked up this time?—
Megan McCluskey,
Time,
8 Sep. 2025
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And yet the Dolphins have found a way to remain masters of mediocrity, prolonging the NFL’s longest playoff win drought with a combination of misfortune and missteps.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Since 2022, Russia repeatedly urged China to act quickly to save its economy from inevitable privations stemming from the collapse of its Western market.—
Ariel Cohen,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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At first, the complaints from workers who'd escaped -- detailing forced labor, privation and torture -- had seemed extraordinary to Rezende.—
Terrence McCoy The Washington Post,
Arkansas Online,
31 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Vicissitude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vicissitude. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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