Cambridge Dictionary

Definition of “ordeal” - English Dictionary

“ordeal” in English

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ordealnoun [ C ]

uk /ɔːˈdɪəl/ us /ɔːrˈdɪəl/

C2 a very unpleasant and painful or difficult experience:

The hostages' ordeal came to an end when soldiers stormed the building.

More examples

She looked pale and drawn after her ordeal.
He made little of his ordeal.
I'm sorry to put you through this ordeal.
The love of my family and friends sustained me through my ordeal.
Throughout the ordeal of her husband's funeral, Mrs Holmes was a model of deportment .

Thesaurus: synonyms and related words

Difficult situations and unpleasant experiences

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(Definition of “ordeal” from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

“ordeal” in American English

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(Definition of “ordeal” from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Blogs about "ordeal"

What a nightmare! (Words for difficult situations)

by Kate Woodford, July 8, 2015

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