ordeal Definition
a difficult or painful experience, especially one that lasts for a long time.
Using ordeal: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "ordeal" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The survivors of the shipwreck had to endure a terrible ordeal.
Example
Going through a divorce can be an emotional ordeal.
Example
The athlete's injury was a grueling ordeal that required months of rehabilitation.
ordeal Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms for ordeal
Phrases with ordeal
a difficult or challenging situation that someone experiences when they start a new job or activity
Example
My first day as a teacher was a real baptism of fire.
Example
The new manager faced a trial by fire when she took over the struggling department.
a form of trial in which the accused is subjected to a painful or dangerous test, such as walking barefoot over hot coals
Example
Ordeal by fire was a common method of determining guilt or innocence in medieval Europe.
Origins of ordeal
from Old English 'ordāl', meaning 'judgment by ordeal'
Summary: ordeal in Brief
The term 'ordeal' [awr-deel] refers to a difficult or painful experience that lasts for a long time. It can be used to describe a range of situations, from emotional struggles like going through a divorce to physical challenges like recovering from an injury. Phrases like 'baptism of fire' and 'trial by fire' describe difficult experiences that test someone's abilities or character. 'Ordeal by fire' is a historical term for a form of trial in which the accused is subjected to a painful or dangerous test.
