gauntlet

noun

variants also gantlet
Definition of gauntletnext
as in ordeal
a test of faith, patience, or strength before being adopted, school textbooks must often run the gauntlet of several local and state committees

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of gauntlet On his latest Hyperdub release, the Japanese producer born Takahide Higuchi sings more than on previous records but tortures his voice through a gauntlet of pitch-shifter effects. — Daniel Bromfield, Pitchfork, 27 July 2026 Rather than throwing down the gauntlet, gather information and approach the situation with an open mind. — Sherri Gordon, Parents, 21 July 2026 With nature’s molecule at the core, the drug candidate then faces the same gauntlet of clinical trials as any other, a process that often spans a decade or more. — Steve Midway, STAT, 16 July 2026 The National Mall seems to be wrapped in a variety of fencing, some of it in place for construction reasons, some of it to create a security gantlet for the July 4 celebration. — Matt Viser, The Atlantic, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for gauntlet
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gauntlet
  1. ordeal
  2. fire
  3. trial
Noun
  • As far as Davis was told, once the ordeal was handled, the player simply asked for a different helmet and returned to practice.
    — Devon Henderson, New York Times, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Nobody was injured during the snake sighting and rescue, the NYPD said in a statement, though the ordeal did leave some Upper West Side residents a bit shaken.
    — Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of ordeal
Noun
  • Since 1990 people have gathered from across the country and around the world in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert for the annual celebration of fire, free-thinking and communal living called Burning Man.
    — Felicia Feaster, AJC.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The fire resulted in the loss of Smothermon's other grandson, two dogs and dozens of guinea pigs.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of fire
Noun
  • Despite her openness about those trials, many still wonder, in the aftermath of her death, how yet another gifted actor who grew up in the limelight could have their story cut so short.
    — Lisa Respers France, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Conservative filmmaker Dinesh D’Souza has settled a defamation lawsuit filed by a Gwinnett County man in 2022, avoiding a trial that was set to begin Monday in federal court in Atlanta.
    — Caleb Groves, AJC.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of trial

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gauntlet
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Cite this Entry

“Gauntlet.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gauntlet. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on gauntlet

Nglish: Translation of gauntlet for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about gauntlet

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