tribulation
Prolonged painful struggle
Tribulation is severe trouble, suffering, or distress—particularly the kind that tests one's endurance or faith.
The word carries a formal or literary tone: The family endured years of tribulation.
In Christian theology, the Tribulation refers to a prophesied period of great suffering before the end times.
The phrase trials and tribulations is common but redundant, since both words mean roughly the same thing.
Adverse circumstance or event
- afflictionCause of ongoing distress
- hardshipSuffering from difficult circumstances
- ordealDifficult, painful experience
- calamitySevere misfortune or disaster
distress · woe · burden · setback · struggle · difficulty · challenge · plight
Evaluative examination
- ordealDifficult, painful experience
- crucibleVessel for extreme heat
- challengeTest of ability
- provingEstablishing validity through evidence
adversity · temptation · testing · Job · faith · endurance · perseverance · refinement
Intense mental suffering
- tormentSevere prolonged suffering
- agonyExtreme physical or emotional pain
- painBodily or emotional distress
- griefIntense sorrow from loss
sorrow · distress · heartache · despair · desolation · trauma · lamentation · bereavement
Unjust exercise of power
- tyrannyOppressive, absolute governance
- injusticeDenial of fair treatment
- discriminationUnjust differential treatment
- harassmentAggressive, unwanted targeting
abuse · hounding · expulsion · imprisonment · malice · cruelty · martyrdom · crucible
Total civilizational collapse
- ArmageddonProphesied ultimate conflict
- AntichristProphesied opponent of Christ
- doomsdayProphesied world's end
- millenniumSpan of thousand years
Revelation · end-times · judgment · prophecy · resurrection · futurism
misfortune
Adverse circumstance or event
- afflictionCause of ongoing distress
- hardshipSuffering from difficult circumstances
- ordealDifficult, painful experience
calamity · distress · woe · burden · setback · struggle · difficulty · challenge · plight · predicament
test
Evaluative examination
proving · adversity · temptation · testing · Job · faith · endurance · perseverance · refinement · fire
anguish
Intense mental suffering
- tormentSevere prolonged suffering
- agonyExtreme physical or emotional pain
- painBodily or emotional distress
grief · sorrow · distress · heartache · despair · desolation · trauma · lamentation · bereavement · woe
oppression
Unjust exercise of power
- tyrannyOppressive, absolute governance
- injusticeDenial of fair treatment
- discriminationUnjust differential treatment
harassment · abuse · hounding · expulsion · imprisonment · malice · cruelty · martyrdom · crucible · exile
apocalypse
Total civilizational collapse
- ArmageddonProphesied ultimate conflict
- AntichristProphesied opponent of Christ
- doomsdayProphesied world's end
millennium · Revelation · end-times · judgment · prophecy · resurrection · futurism
- religionChristianity, Islam, beliefs, Judaism, Hinduism
- adversitystruggle, hardship, challenge, obstacle, difficulty
- annoyancesannoyance, annoyances, irritations, irritation, nuisance
- hardshipshardship, adversity, struggle, misfortune, difficulties
- sufferingagony, anguish, misery, pain, torment
- challengeschallenge, difficult, hard, challenging, tough
tribulationpeace
Freedom from disturbance
happiness · joy · comfort · bliss · contentment
tribulationprosperity
Good fortune, success
blessing · ease · good fortune · security · abundance
- trials and tribulationsDifficulties and suffering experienced