ordeal
noun
any extremely severe or trying test, experience, or trial.
ordeals
-
pluralof ordeal.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He discusses his childhood tangles with bullies, his ordeals in the U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
However, Mr. Starritt keeps his leads center stage and ensures that throughout their professional trials and personal ordeals they remain captivating presences and sympathetic enough to root for.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
But, along with graphic descriptions of Fremlin’s predatory behavior, she explores how Munro, a frequent New Yorker contributor, mined both her own difficult childhood and her daughter’s ordeals in her fiction.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
Passengers touching down at airports in Australia, France, Germany, India, Russia, Taiwan and beyond told of sleepless nights and days-long ordeals to get out of the Middle East when war erupted.
From Barron's ● Mar. 4, 2026
One of my Sunday morning ordeals is having to lie in bed and look at Dussel’s back when he’s praying.
From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank
