crucibles

noun

plural of crucible
as in ordeals
a test of faith, patience, or strength soldiers who had withstood the crucible of war

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 crucibles These silicon chunks are melted in bespoke crucibles made of the world’s purest quartz, virtually all of which is mined from a solitary deposit in the mountains of North Carolina. — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026 After all, these were crucibles meant to test a driver’s car, courage, and constitution—full stop. — Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2026 Between a courier caught in the middle of a zombie virus outbreak and a scuba diver swallowed whole by a sperm whale, both films put Abrams’ respective lead characters, Bryan and Jay, through uniquely harrowing one-man crucibles. — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 21 Sep. 2026 Forged in crucibles of traumatic childhoods and unthinkable loss, both Batman and Alice seek to right wrongs that the criminal justice system won’t touch. — Erin Qualey, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026 Each member derives her own realizations from this experience, with its dual crucibles of grindingly hard work and pop adulation. — Elizabeth Gulino, Allure, 25 June 2026 At the time, there was a chance of that being Neuer’s final appearance in one of sport’s great crucibles, and players of his calibre deserve better endings. — Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026 Most leaders hide their crucibles. — Ed Brzychcy, Forbes.com, 20 Feb. 2026 Crises’ crucibles often forge potent alliances. — Jamie Holmes, Twin Cities, 22 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crucibles
  1. ordeals
  2. fires
  3. gauntlets
  4. trials
Noun
  • But passengers don’t have to be helpless during these stressful ordeals.
    — Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The two have remained united throughout the murder investigation and subsequent legal ordeals regarding Kohberger.
    — Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of ordeals
Noun
  • The haze comes primarily from western Indonesia where forest and peatland fires often are started to clear land for farming.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Each time a shutter fires, and each time a tire squeals, involves countless pieces working together to deliver a smooth outcome.
    — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of fires
Noun
  • Both Disney+ and Netflix have laid down similar gauntlets over the past few years.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Perhaps in writing it, Salinger was trying to negotiate whether his remarkable survival through some of the war’s worst gauntlets could be chalked up to dumb luck, or divine intervention.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of gauntlets
Noun
  • Long presented the results at the 2026 European Society for Medical Oncology Congress in Madrid last Saturday, confirming earlier press reports and supporting previous trials on the treatment’s benefits.
    — Mike McRae October 25, New Atlas, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Physical changes can be simulated, but live trials affect staff, customers and workflows, making isolation and repeatability much harder.
    — Maria Zhang, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of trials

Browse Nearby Words

crucible
crucibles
crucified
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Cite this Entry

“Crucibles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crucibles. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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