plights 1 of 2

noun

plural of plight
as in anxieties
a very bad or difficult situation
—usually singular The recent cut in funding will only contribute to the hospital's financial plight. the plight of the unemployed

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

plights

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of plight
as in promises

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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 plights
Noun
The movie, which will premiere June 10 at the fest, dramatizes the plights of Iranian civilians weeks before the United States and Israel invaded the country this year. — Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 27 May 2026 At great personal risk, Hadi connected me with dissidents, political prisoners, and their relatives, who all described their plights as the regime’s repressive campaign escalated in the weeks leading up to the war. — Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2026 Given the tyrannical inferno that engulfed these precariously united states, my personal plights were mere embers, ashes, in the grand scheme of things. — Literary Hub, 26 Feb. 2026 Then again, that slightly generic quality never impinges on the film’s characterizations, and allows viewers to extrapolate the finer points of this story to the plights of so many other refugees, from Syria and elsewhere. — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 27 Jan. 2026 The particular bodily plights of the thirty-something jock don’t stem simply from the inherent risk imbued in competitive sports. — Grace Perry, Outside, 1 Jan. 2026 Our reviewer was captivated by the evocative writing and moved by the characters’ plights. — Heller McAlpin, Christian Science Monitor, 13 May 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plights
  1. predicaments
  2. promises
  3. tribulations
  4. mortgages
  5. inconveniences
  6. vows
  7. frustrations
  8. irritants
Noun
  • Aemond, too, for that matter, while Daemon’s arrogance continues to get Team Black into all sorts of predicaments.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Rather than bridging shortfalls, both Seattle and Washington now face more difficult fiscal predicaments, Joblon said.
    — Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 18 May 2026
Definition of predicaments
Verb
  • The facility promises innovation in medicine, clean energy, engineering, and national security through large-scale computer modeling and simulations, according to the university.
    — Jack Springgate, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The live stream promises boundless access and constant visibility, collapsing the boundary between the real and the performed, the private and the public, until living a life and broadcasting one become virtually indistinguishable.
    — Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of promises
Noun
  • This restores a portion of their old fortune to Magdalen as well (from her deceased husband Noel), ending the Vanstones’ tribulations for good.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 July 2026
  • In great detail and with candid memories, the book narrates the trials, tribulations, and tragedies from the band’s formation in 1984 through the current day, including emotional and personal reflections on the life and death of one of its own superheroes, Chris Cornell.
    — Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 9 June 2026
Definition of tribulations
Verb
  • So my guess/belief/thought is that the executive trio is hoping for the best this year, but is unwilling to do anything that mortgages future seasons.
    — Josh Kendall, New York Times, 9 July 2026
  • Those are the players in recent memory who’ve commanded the kind of draft capital that reshapes franchises — the sort of seismic move that mortgages a future and, in return, attaches expectations normally reserved for franchise-carrying superstars.
    — Kristian Winfield, Hartford Courant, 22 Feb. 2026
Definition of mortgages
Noun
  • That said, there are some inconveniences around living on a remote island.
    — Brittany Chang, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026
  • In fact, Albert Einstein's time-dilating general theory of relativity tends to be little more than an afterthought, with films highlighting the inconveniences of interstellar travel definitely in the minority.
    — Richard Edwards, Space.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of inconveniences
Verb
  • As the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises proceed, North Korea denounces them as invasion rehearsals, launches missiles and vows stronger deterrence, even as analysts say scaling back drills could weaken long-term allied readiness.
    — Hyung-Jin Kim, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Trump denies that there’s a weapons shortage, and vows to hunt down whoever leaked details of the weapons shortage that definitely doesn’t exist.
    — Rachel Marsden, Hartford Courant, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of vows
Noun
  • Rather than treating Debra’s frustrations as something distant from her own life, Heaton drew from the reality of raising her own kids while working on the series.
    — Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 15 Aug. 2026
  • But others argue those rookie mistakes and earlier comments − including calls to abolish the police − were eclipsed by Hong's grassroots support and growing frustrations with the party establishment.
    — Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of frustrations
Noun
  • Sharks are known to rub against reefs, sand, rocks and even the seafloor to remove irritants.
    — Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
  • The signature blend of ceramides works to strengthen and support the skin’s natural barrier, which helps lock in moisture while defending against environmental irritants like pollutants and allergens.
    — Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 23 July 2026
Definition of irritants

Browse Nearby Words

plighting
plights
plink
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Plights.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plights. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on plights

Nglish: Translation of plights for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of oxymoron

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All