as in ordeals
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 vicissitudes
Whatever its reputation, the OIGC is still subject to the vicissitudes of other arts organizations.
—
Andrew Gilbert, Mercury News, 1 Dec. 2025
Austen’s trajectory, like that of many artists in New York, finally hinged on the vicissitudes of real estate.
—Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 22 Nov. 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
And there is always and everywhere a tendency to believe in nonexistent mandates and a tendency to believe that your political circumstances are exempt from the normal vicissitudes of politics and public opinion.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 3 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
Mere knick-knacks, which have all disappeared with the vicissitudes of years.
—Adam Verner
september 3, Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025
But Hynes details life’s vicissitudes with poetic exactitude.
—Will Dukes, Rolling Stone, 2 Sep. 2025
Andrew Gilbert, Mercury News, 1 Dec. 2025
Austen’s trajectory, like that of many artists in New York, finally hinged on the vicissitudes of real estate.
—Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 22 Nov. 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
And there is always and everywhere a tendency to believe in nonexistent mandates and a tendency to believe that your political circumstances are exempt from the normal vicissitudes of politics and public opinion.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 3 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
Mere knick-knacks, which have all disappeared with the vicissitudes of years.
—Adam Verner
september 3, Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025
But Hynes details life’s vicissitudes with poetic exactitude.
—Will Dukes, Rolling Stone, 2 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vicissitudes
Noun
-
The medical ordeals are traumatic and disgusting, but fascinating and full of the quirks of modern life.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Both women survived, but are still reeling from ordeals that have drawn national attention — in part, because they were captured on video and shared on social media.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
3 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
What traits, decisions, or misfortunes exceed a person’s jurisdiction?—
Rachel Vorona Cote,
The Atlantic,
5 Jan. 2026
-
Adamolekun took the helm of Red Lobster in August 2024 after a series of misfortunes at the once-failing casual-dining chain.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
17 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Summit speakers explored the current landscape of business and industry across health care, child care, education, manufacturing and development sectors, by discussing trends, challenges and opportunities shaping the region’s economy.—
Marianne Love,
Daily News,
13 Jan. 2026
-
But the company faces significant legal challenges from state and local authorities as well as environmental groups.—
Molly McCrea,
CBS News,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Its closest competitor, Air India, has been dealing with troubles of its own.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
8 Jan. 2026
-
And God Created Woman, but in recent years, Bardot sparked controversy due to some of her more troubling opinions and faced legal troubles over racist and xenophobic comments.—
Becca Longmire,
PEOPLE,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Diaries kept by Eugenia Zieber describe the privations of the trail, chief among them the frequent deaths of fellow travelers.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
3 Nov. 2025
-
At seventy, Padura is a voice of a generation that endured a long war in Angola and the privations that followed the Soviet collapse.—
Jon Lee Anderson,
New Yorker,
29 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Vicissitudes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vicissitudes. Accessed 14 Jan. 2026.
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