plight
A tough spot
A plight is a difficult, unfortunate, or dangerous situation: the plight of refugees, the plight of the homeless.
The word carries a note of sympathy—we speak of someone's plight when we want to draw attention to their suffering or predicament.
Less commonly, to plight is to pledge solemnly, surviving mainly in the phrase plight one's troth (pledge one's faith in marriage).
Difficult, unpleasant situation
- adversitySevere difficulty or suffering
- misfortuneAdverse circumstance or event
- sufferingSustained experience of distress
- distressSevere anxiety or suffering
tribulation · ordeal · affliction · woe · difficulty · struggle · crisis · trouble
State of perplexity
- conundrumPerplexing problem or question
- bindFasten or obligate
- fixRepair or solution
- jamCooked fruit spread
pickle · corner · hole · scrape · tight spot · impasse · catch-22 · no-win situation
Pledged word of loyalty
- betrothalFormal marriage agreement
- engagementCommitment to wed or attend
- promiseCommitment to act
- vowSolemn personal commitment
oath · word · commitment · solemn promise · espousal
predicament
Difficult, unpleasant situation
- adversitySevere difficulty or suffering
- misfortuneAdverse circumstance or event
- sufferingSustained experience of distress
distress · tribulation · ordeal · affliction · woe · difficulty · struggle · crisis · trouble · desperation
quandary
State of perplexity
jam · pickle · corner · hole · scrape · tight spot · impasse · catch-22 · no-win situation · between a rock and a hard place
troth
Pledged word of loyalty
- betrothalFormal marriage agreement
- engagementCommitment to wed or attend
- promiseCommitment to act
vow · oath · word · commitment · solemn promise · espousal
- adversitystruggle, hardship, challenge, obstacle, difficulty
- hardshiphardship, adversity, difficulty, trouble, struggle
- hardshipshardship, adversity, struggle, misfortune, difficulties
- oathsoath taking, swearing in, oath ceremony, sworn oath, oath of honor
- predicamentspredicament, dilemma, bind, pickle, pinch
- wedding vowsI do, I will, to have and to hold, till death do us part, forever
plightprosperity
Good fortune, success
blessing · good fortune · boon · advantage · privilege