Pronunciation: /ɔrˈdiːl/

Definitions of ordeal

noun a difficult or painful experience

Example Sentences

A1 The lost hiker's ordeal ended when he was rescued by a search team.

A2 Going through a difficult breakup can be an emotional ordeal for some people.

B1 Surviving a plane crash was a harrowing ordeal for the passengers.

B2 The athlete's long and grueling training regimen was an ordeal, but it paid off in the end.

C1 The political leader faced a challenging ordeal during the impeachment process.

C2 The soldier's ordeal in captivity tested his mental and physical strength to the limit.

adjective relating to a difficult or painful experience

Example Sentences

A1 The students had to go through a difficult ordeal to pass the test.

A2 She described her experience as an ordeal that she never wanted to go through again.

B1 The company faced an ordeal when their main supplier went bankrupt.

B2 The hikers survived a harrowing ordeal when they got lost in the mountains.

C1 The politician's scandal was a public ordeal that lasted for months.

C2 The artist's struggle with mental health was an ordeal that inspired their most powerful work.

Examples of ordeal in a Sentence

formal The survivor shared their harrowing ordeal with the authorities.

informal I can't believe she had to go through such a terrible ordeal.

slang That was one hell of an ordeal to deal with.

figurative Facing the challenges of starting a new business was like going through a long and difficult ordeal.

Grammatical Forms of ordeal

past tense

ordealled

plural

ordeals

comparative

more ordeal

superlative

most ordeal

present tense

ordeal

future tense

will ordeal

perfect tense

have ordealed

continuous tense

is ordealing

singular

ordeal

positive degree

ordeal

infinitive

to ordeal

gerund

ordealing

participle

ordealed

Origin and Evolution of ordeal

First Known Use: 1250 year
Language of Origin: Old English
Story behind the word: The word 'ordeal' originated from the Old English word 'ordāl', which was derived from the Old Norse word 'orðal', meaning 'judgment'.
Evolution of the word: Originally used to refer to a trial by fire or water to determine guilt or innocence, the word 'ordeal' has evolved to also mean a severe or difficult experience or trial.