Straits (Noun)

A bad or difficult situation or state of affairs.

Nouns denoting natural processes.

The family found themselves in dire straits after the loss of their home and income due to the economic downturn.
After her breakup, Sarah felt like she was in emotional straits and couldn't find the strength to get out of bed in the morning.
The small business was in financial straits and struggled to make ends meet after a year of poor sales.
As a result of the war, many civilians found themselves in desperate straits, with little access to food or shelter.
After the loss of her scholarship, Maria found herself in financial straits and had to take on a part-time job to support herself through college.

A difficult juncture; "a pretty pass"; "matters came to a head yesterday".

Nouns denoting natural events.

The company found itself in dire straits after the sudden loss of its largest investor.
The family was in financial straits after the father lost his job due to company restructuring.
The government was in a difficult straits, trying to balance the budget while also addressing the growing national debt.
The team was in desperate straits, down by 10 points with only minutes left to play in the championship game.
The country was in economic straits, struggling to recover from the devastating effects of the natural disaster.