vicissitudes

noun

plural of vicissitude
as in ordeals
a negative event or circumstance that is common to a particular setting or situation and is usually beyond one's control The vicissitudes of medical school proved too much for the anxious student.

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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 vicissitudes Their vicissitudes are both timely and for all time. — Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor, 17 Dec. 2025 The show is good at making the off-and-on vicissitudes of modern dating feel natural to the plot. — Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2026 By using non-actors who have endured the vicissitudes of the world, Laxe didn’t have to develop the characters in a conventional way. — Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 12 Nov. 2025 Renaissance has prided itself on a debt-free history, despite the vicissitudes of performing arts fundraising. — Jim Higgins, jsonline.com, 24 Sep. 2025 The family drama is underpinned by the vicissitudes inherent in moviemaking. — Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 19 Jan. 2026 Whatever its reputation, the OIGC is still subject to the vicissitudes of other arts organizations. — Andrew Gilbert, Mercury News, 1 Dec. 2025 Throughout this dense and always engrossing survey of Lean’s career in film, Thompson threads the vicissitudes of the director’s personal life, spanning six wives and various other relationships and flings. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 27 May 2026 The Kino Babylon, opened in 1929 and still going strong despite vicissitudes, is an appropriate venue for Guadalajara’s 40th anniversary showcase. — John Hopewell, Variety, 31 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vicissitudes
  1. ordeals
  2. misfortunes
  3. challenges
  4. troubles
  5. privations
Noun
  • People who have been at this work longer, or have survived similar ordeals, can help a mentee see around corners.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 June 2026
  • Meanwhile, Phillips said, victims are left to live with the impacts of the perpetrators’ actions — with the survivors in this case forced to continue to relive their ordeals as the case continues on to the Court of Appeal.
    — Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 3 June 2026
Definition of ordeals
Noun
  • Jessie blames technology for toy misfortunes, getting angry at all forms of technology, even those already discarded.
    — Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026
  • Repairing Furniture There are few misfortunes greater than scratching a new piece of dark wood furniture.
    — Joey Skladany, Southern Living, 17 June 2026
Definition of misfortunes
Noun
  • That poses creative challenges, but also a lot of opportunities.
    — Josh Weiss, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • On Wednesday, New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch outlined a slew of challenges facing the city this weekend, including huge Independence Day celebrations, a World Cup match and a searing heat wave.
    — Jake Offenhartz, Fortune, 2 July 2026
Definition of challenges
Noun
  • His character ultimately falls in love with Maggie Sullivan (Morgan Kohan) but Season 4 brought major troubles for the pair after Maggie's ex-husband (Marcus Rosner) shows up and attempts to work his way back into her life.
    — Joelle Goldstein, USA Today, 2 July 2026
  • Lam, who previously worked at Causeway Bay Books in Hong Kong, moved to Taipei in 2019 over fears of legal troubles and reopened the bookstore under the same name in the Taiwanese capital in 2020.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 July 2026
Definition of troubles
Noun
  • Meanwhile, the European settlers, underprepared for actual conditions in the region, suffered great privations, and only 1,500 remained by 1832.
    — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Mar. 2026
  • Diaries kept by Eugenia Zieber describe the privations of the trail, chief among them the frequent deaths of fellow travelers.
    — Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 3 Nov. 2025
Definition of privations

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vicissitude
vicissitudes
victim
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Cite this Entry

“Vicissitudes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vicissitudes. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on vicissitudes

Nglish: Translation of vicissitudes for Spanish Speakers

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