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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Following the ordeal, Jung couldn't resist reliving the experience and sharing it on social media.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 May 2025
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At least 30 people were stranded more than 50 feet in the air during a terrifying ordeal at an amusement park.—
Moná Thomas,
People.com,
28 May 2025
Noun
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With a group of experts looking for every possible weakness, having your grant reviewed is a bit like running a gauntlet.—
Kelly S. Mix,
The Conversation,
22 May 2025
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Others were less talented but beat a gauntlet of tough opponents.—
Stewart Mandel,
New York Times,
19 May 2025
Noun
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Escobar had the misfortune of stepping into the shadow of the past season with skeletons in her closet.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
5 June 2025
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Plenty of other contenders faced similar misfortune.—
Steve Megargee,
Chicago Tribune,
31 May 2025
Noun
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But whereas the first generation of Chinese entrepreneurs grew up poor and were happy to wring a livelihood from cheap imitations, today’s tech graduates were spared the privations of their parents and yearn for something more meaningful.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
29 May 2025
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For another thing, squeezing the Russian economy is unlikely to produce sufficient privation to create meaningful political pressure against Putin.—
Barry R. Posen,
Foreign Affairs,
8 July 2022
Cite this Entry
“Vicissitude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vicissitude. Accessed 14 Jun. 2025.
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