Ordeal (Noun)
Meaning 1
A primitive method of determining a person's guilt or innocence by subjecting the accused person to dangerous or painful tests believed to be under divine control; escape was usually taken as a sign of innocence.
Classification
Nouns denoting acts or actions.
Examples
- The accused was forced to undergo the ordeal of walking on hot coals to prove their innocence.
- In medieval times, the ordeal by water was a common method of determining guilt or innocence.
- The villagers believed that the gods would intervene to save the accused from harm if they were truly innocent, and thus the ordeal was seen as a reliable method of determining guilt.
- The ordeal of the red-hot iron was particularly feared, as it often resulted in severe burns and disfigurement.
- The use of ordeals as a means of determining guilt or innocence was eventually outlawed as a cruel and inhumane practice.
Synonyms
Meaning 2
A severe or trying experience.
Classification
Nouns denoting natural events.
Examples
- Going through a lengthy divorce process can be a tremendous ordeal for many couples.
- Her grueling three-hour exam was an ordeal she had been dreading all semester.
- After months of hospital stays and surgery, her long ordeal with cancer was finally coming to an end.
- Climbing the steep mountain trail proved to be an ordeal that left many hikers exhausted and breathless.
- Her move from the small town to the bustling city was a challenging ordeal, requiring great adaptation.