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
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
The vicissitudes of history always challenge us in new and often confounding ways; that’s in the nature of things.
—Jon Meacham, New York Times, 24 Mar. 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
Sport is usually a constant -- a field, court, track or course that is resistant to the vicissitudes of the world around us.
—George Ramsay, CNN, 12 Mar. 2020
See All Example Sentences for vicissitude
Aarian Marshall, Wired, 10 May 2020
The vicissitudes of history always challenge us in new and often confounding ways; that’s in the nature of things.
—Jon Meacham, New York Times, 24 Mar. 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
Sport is usually a constant -- a field, court, track or course that is resistant to the vicissitudes of the world around us.
—George Ramsay, CNN, 12 Mar. 2020
See All Example Sentences for vicissitude
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vicissitude
Noun
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The ordeal unraveled at Moore’s spa grand opening attended by RHOA cast members Porsha Williams, Cynthia Bailey, Drew Sidora, Shamea Morton Mwangi, Eady, Kelli Ferrell, and Angela Oakley, per USA Today.—
DeMicia Inman,
VIBE.com,
8 Apr. 2025
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Tavares-Abel plans to use stop motion animation to tell the story of her ancestor’s migration ordeal.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The gauntlet begins with Monday’s road game in Dallas, where the Wild rallied late for a 3-2 overtime win on Dec. 27, in their first trip to the Lone Star State this season.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
23 Mar. 2025
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And Mark has to make it through a physical and emotional gauntlet, first in pitched battle with the superhuman bulk of Drummond, then in a quieter moment with Gemma.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
21 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Miami’s misfortune with close games and big leads hasn’t dissuaded Spoelstra’s goal to maximize each possession and win every game, even if his roster is significantly different from five months ago.—
James Jackson,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
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Healthy bodies are the only thing that can make a difference at Madison Square Garden, but where there is great demand, misfortune would have it there is also a great shortage.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
27 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Out of the privation, the challenge, and the censure of slavery and the unfulfilled promise of post-Reconstruction justice, Black musicians embraced experimentation and innovation, ingenuity and joy, and a multigenerational call and response speaking truth to power that endures to the present day.—
Elizabeth Alexander,
Time,
1 Apr. 2025
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As a prisoner of war, Morris R. Wills faced a gamut of privations—he was left malnourished and consigned to filthy conditions amid the ever-present threat of execution.—
Nikhil Krishnan,
New Yorker,
31 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Vicissitude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vicissitude. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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