Synonyms of ordeal

ordeal

noun

ȯr-ˈdē(-ə)l 

as in fire

a test of faith, patience, or strength

the hikers were finally rescued after a three-day ordeal in the wilderness

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fire
• gauntlet
• trial
• cross
• crucible
• hardship
• challenge
• gantlet
• grievance
• misfortune
• grief
• tragedy
• initiation
• trouble
• baptism of fire
• tribulation
• baptism
• mishap
• adversity
• misadventure
• privation
• inconvenience
• woe
• difficulty
• discomfort
• complication
• vicissitude
• affliction
• nuisance
• mischance
• litmus test
• acid test
• rigor
• annoyance
• asperity

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of ordeal

On March 11, Hulu will premiere a 90-minute documentary, Last Take: Rust and the Story of Halyna, which looks at the human story behind the Rust shooting, pays homage to Hutchins, and looks at the ordeal’s legal aftermath. —Rachel Brodsky, TIME, 11 Mar. 2025

That ordeal would have ended most teams regardless of their coach. —Mac Engel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Mar. 2025

The ordeal was depicted in Hulu's 2022 series Pam & Tommy, which was made without Anderson's involvement. —Randall Colburn, EW.com, 8 Mar. 2025

Why So Few People Survive CPR On TV, CPR saves lives, and studies have found that most characters who undergo CPR survive their ordeal. —Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 7 Mar. 2025