ordeal
Severe trying time
An ordeal is a severe trial or painful experience that tests endurance: The divorce was a two-year ordeal.
The word originally meant a method of determining guilt by subjecting the accused to physical tests—fire, water, combat—with survival indicating divine judgment of innocence.
The modern sense retains that flavor of suffering through something difficult: Getting through airport security has become an ordeal.
Severe difficulty or suffering
- struggleLabored effort against resistance
- difficultyState of being hard
- obstacleSomething blocking the way
- challengeTest of ability
burden · tribulation · calamity · catastrophe · disaster · misfortune · crisis · setback
Intense mental suffering
- agonyExtreme physical or emotional pain
- tormentSevere prolonged suffering
- traumaLasting psychological wound
- painBodily or emotional distress
misery · distress · affliction · grief · woe · sorrow · heartache · despair
Formal admission ceremony
- ritualCeremonial set of actions
- passageSegment of text
- hazingAbusive initiation practices
- baptism by fireDifficult first test
test of courage · vision quest · walkabout · sun dance · rite of passage · coming of age · fraternity · sorority
Sustained resolve despite obstacles
- staminaCapacity for sustained effort
- resilienceCapacity to recover quickly
- fortitudeEnduring courage under pain
- tenacityPersistent grip or resolve
grit · determination · patience · steadfastness · toughness · survival · persistence · strength
Judicial proceedings chamber
- verdictOfficial court decision
- juryLegal decision-making body
- prosecutionPursuing legal charges
- defenseProtection against harm
witness · testimony · cross-examination · defendant · judge · trial by fire · trial by combat · inquisition
adversity
Severe difficulty or suffering
- struggleLabored effort against resistance
- difficultyState of being hard
- obstacleSomething blocking the way
challenge · burden · tribulation · calamity · catastrophe · disaster · misfortune · crisis · setback · blow
anguish
Intense mental suffering
- agonyExtreme physical or emotional pain
- tormentSevere prolonged suffering
- traumaLasting psychological wound
pain · misery · distress · affliction · grief · woe · sorrow · heartache · despair · torture
initiation
Formal admission ceremony
baptism by fire · test of courage · vision quest · walkabout · sun dance · rite of passage · coming of age · fraternity · sorority · military training
perseverance
Sustained resolve despite obstacles
- staminaCapacity for sustained effort
- resilienceCapacity to recover quickly
- fortitudeEnduring courage under pain
tenacity · grit · determination · patience · steadfastness · toughness · survival · persistence · strength · backbone
courtroom
Judicial proceedings chamber
- verdictOfficial court decision
- juryLegal decision-making body
- prosecutionPursuing legal charges
defense · witness · testimony · cross-examination · defendant · judge · trial by fire · trial by combat · inquisition · interrogation
- featsfeat, stunt, exploit, daring feat, deed
- ordealstribulation, hardship, torment, crucible, agony
- difficultyeasy, hard, medium, difficult, moderate
- Scoutingbadges, scout, Boy Scouts, campfires, scouts
- adversitystruggle, hardship, challenge, obstacle, difficulty
- annoyancesannoyance, annoyances, irritations, irritation, nuisance
ordealbreeze
Light, gentle air movement
cakewalk · cinch · walk in the park · piece of cake · walkover
- trial by ordealGuilt determined through suffering
- ordeal by fireJudgment through burning
- ordeal by combatJudicial duel deciding guilt
- ordeal by waterJudicial test using submersion