as in predicament
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
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Recent Examples of plight
Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026
Opposition activists made the detainees’ plight a core issue.
—Gisela Salim-Peyer, The Atlantic, 30 Jan. 2026
Gina Lee Castro, Journal Sentinel, 11 Oct. 2024
Not for months, but for years, plighting their troth.
—Guy Martin, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024
See All Example Sentences for plight
Noun
So existential was the plight of the Reader, which has continued to lose money since converting to a nonprofit nearly four years ago, that its board handed over the keys to Noisy Creek in August in a complex ownership transfer that has yet to be consummated.
—Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026
Opposition activists made the detainees’ plight a core issue.
—Gisela Salim-Peyer, The Atlantic, 30 Jan. 2026
Verb
Latino history in the U.S. is plighted with systemic issues from mass deportations in the 1920s and 1930s, to poor working conditions for farm workers, to segregated schools, to arrests and stereotypes during the war on drugs.
—Gina Lee Castro, Journal Sentinel, 11 Oct. 2024
Not for months, but for years, plighting their troth.
—Guy Martin, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024
See All Example Sentences for plight
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plight
Noun
-
South Florida’s scandal Cherfilus-McCormick’s current legal predicament is much easier to explain than Mills’ multiple ethical sandspurs.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 Feb. 2026
-
But given the team’s predicament, and the sense that the squad needed Premier League-ready personnel, this was not the window to be pursuing youth.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Lewis promised to help modernize the paper’s business.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
9 Feb. 2026
-
For 2026, the beloved series marks its 66th season and promises a summer filled with romance, comedy and tragedy.—
Kirby Adams,
Louisville Courier Journal,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Our cousins just over the border in Wisconsin kept up a steady stream of taunts, trash-talking the Bears and causing us all a lot of anxiety as the minutes ticked by.—
Erendira Rendon,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Experts say exercise during pregnancy and after birth can help lower anxiety, improve sleep, and boost your mood.—
Hannah Silverman,
Parents,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The government has vowed to appeal the decision.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Congress failed yesterday to advance a spending bill that would fund the department through the end of September, and Democrats have vowed not to support any bill without major changes to immigration enforcement.—
Suzanne Nuyen,
NPR,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Over time, the audience will view the theater as an optional inconvenience and an unnecessary cost.—
Joseph M. Singer,
Deadline,
6 Feb. 2026
-
When a vehicle loses power, however, electronic doors go from an inconvenience to a potentially lethal design fault.—
Adam Ismail,
The Drive,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Shepherd saw an opportunity and mortgaged her home to start a mail-order seed business, marketing unusual seed varieties, including mesclun mixes.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Syria’s sovereignty had been partly mortgaged to Russia and Iran, which were squeezing Damascus for money to repay their investment in the conflict.—
Robert F. Worth,
The Atlantic,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Getting forced to play little league baseball is about as emo as youthful tribulations get.—
Billie Bugara,
Pitchfork,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Current totals of seven league goals and four assists suggest those early-season tribulations have been vanquished.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The two got engaged in 2014 and have remained affianced since.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
Peoplemag,
5 May 2023
-
Alexandra Crotin, a rep for Stone, later confirmed to USA TODAY the actress and writer are now affianced.—
Charles Trepany,
USA TODAY,
5 Dec. 2019
Cite this Entry
“Plight.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plight. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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