gauntlet: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Literary, Historical
Quick answer
What does “gauntlet” mean?
A protective glove, typically part of medieval armour, or a challenge or ordeal one must endure.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A protective glove, typically part of medieval armour, or a challenge or ordeal one must endure.
Can refer to a double line of people who strike at someone forced to run between them (run the gauntlet), or more broadly to any severe trial or series of difficulties. Also used in railway contexts for protective coverings on tracks.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling: 'gauntlet' is standard in both for the glove/ordeal. In UK English, 'gantlet' is an accepted but less common variant for the 'run the gauntlet' idiom. In US English, 'gantlet' is sometimes used specifically for the railway track configuration.
Connotations
Largely identical. The medieval/armour association is strong in both. The idiom 'run the gauntlet' is equally common.
Frequency
Low frequency in everyday speech, but the idiom 'run the gauntlet' is the most common usage in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “gauntlet” in a Sentence
run the gauntlet of [criticism/hostility]throw down the gauntlet to [an opponent]face a gauntlet of [questions/tests]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “gauntlet” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The knight was gauntleted and ready for the joust.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
"The new CEO had to run the gauntlet of shareholder criticism at the AGM."
Academic
"The peer-review process can feel like an intellectual gauntlet for early-career researchers."
Everyday
"Walking through the market with all the sellers calling out felt like running a gauntlet."
Technical
"The wiring passes through a protective gauntlet where it enters the junction box."
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “gauntlet”
Strong
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “gauntlet”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “gauntlet”
- Confusing 'gauntlet' (challenge/glove) with 'gantlet' (US rail term/variant).
- Misspelling as 'gauntlett' or 'gantlet' in British contexts.
- Using 'run the gauntlet' to mean simply 'run quickly' rather than 'endure a trial'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
For the glove and the idiom 'run the gauntlet', 'gauntlet' is standard in both UK and US English. 'Gantlet' is a US variant for the idiom and a specific US railroading term.
'Throw down the gauntlet' means to issue a challenge. 'Run the gauntlet' means to endure a punishing series of attacks or criticisms.
Rarely. It can mean 'to protect with or as if with a gauntlet', but this usage is archaic and mostly found in historical or literary contexts.
Not in everyday conversation. Its primary modern use is in the fixed idioms 'run the gauntlet' and 'throw down the gauntlet'. The literal meaning (armoured glove) is largely historical.
A protective glove, typically part of medieval armour, or a challenge or ordeal one must endure.
Gauntlet is usually formal, literary, historical in register.
Gauntlet: in British English it is pronounced /ˈɡɔːntlət/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈɡɑːntlət/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “run the gauntlet”
- “throw down the gauntlet”
- “take up/pick up the gauntlet”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a GAUNT (very thin, grim) person wearing a LET (a small glove). A grim, thin glove for a tough challenge.
Conceptual Metaphor
LIFE IS A BATTLE / A CHALLENGE IS A PHYSICAL OBSTACLE COURSE. The word maps the physical experience of running between attackers onto abstract experiences of criticism or difficulty.
Practice
Quiz
What is the origin of the idiom 'run the gauntlet'?