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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As DeJonge’s family awaits word about their loved one, Alysia offers one major takeaway from the ordeal.—
David Chiu,
People.com,
21 Feb. 2025
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The ordeal started when a homeowner called 911 to report a mountain lion in their backyard shortly before 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 19, the Los Angeles Times reported.—
Brooke Baitinger,
Sacramento Bee,
21 Feb. 2025
Noun
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To punch a ticket to a state championship, Boswell had to make it through a treacherous gauntlet of playoff opponents.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
22 Feb. 2025
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Donald Trump’s new administration is already stress-testing big blue cities and states, with much more to come, months ahead of a relative handful of voters deciding who’s going to lead NYC through this gauntlet.—
Harry Siegel,
New York Daily News,
1 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The cerebral Sridhar Ramaswamy, had the misfortune to follow in the huge CEO footsteps of the Bill Belichick-like Slootman.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
18 Feb. 2025
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Cheick Doucoure would ordinarily have seemed the ideal partner for Wharton but has suffered terrible misfortune with injuries, and is now out until at least the end of the season with a meniscus injury.—
Matt Woosnam,
The Athletic,
17 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Economic privation could further encourage violent competition between Syrian armed groups over territory and revenues.—
Sam Heller,
Foreign Affairs,
16 Dec. 2024
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But envisioning the privation that followed, with Panguna shut down, requires little imagination.—
Sean Williams,
Harper's Magazine,
23 Sep. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Vicissitude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vicissitude. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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