trials and tribulations

Idioms  

1. Tests of one's patience or endurance, as in She went through all the trials and tribulations of being admitted to law school only to find she couldn't afford to go. This redundant expression— trial and tribulation here both mean the same thing—is also used semi-humorously, as in Do you really want to hear about the trials and tribulations of my day at the office?

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Example Sentences

He helps you if you feel blue, if you just need some clarity or perspective on the trials and tribulations of life, he gives you that.

From BBC • Jun. 14, 2026

"I think people understand and realize that the Jackson family is no different than any family. We go through our trials and tribulations, ups and downs, but we learn to agree to disagree," he said.

From Barron's • Apr. 21, 2026

“No matter the trials and tribulations he faced in life, he was constant in his generosity and love for his family,” his children said in a press release.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 9, 2025

We learn more about her parents, their parents, her siblings, her friends and neighbors, and their adventures, trials and tribulations.

From Salon • Nov. 11, 2025

She gasped several times and shook her head in disbelief as my mother told her about our trials and tribulations in attempting to obtain my birth certificate.

From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane

Related Words

• behavior
• development
• growth
• lifestyle
• personality
• way of life
• world