ordeal
B2Formal, neutral. Used in both spoken and written contexts, more common in serious discussion, journalism, and narrative.
Definition
Meaning
A severe or painful experience that tests one's character or endurance.
Any extremely difficult, prolonged, or harrowing experience; a challenging trial or tribulation.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often implies a test that one must pass or survive. It has retained some of its original legal/judicial connotation of a 'trial', but now refers to the difficult experience itself.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The word is equally used and understood in both varieties.
Connotations
Slightly more formal in register; not a casual synonym for 'a hard time'.
Frequency
Similar frequency in both corpora.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
undergo an ordealsurvive an ordealput sb through an ordealthe ordeal of (doing) sththe ordeal that...an ordeal for sbVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “trial by ordeal (historical/legal)”
- “ordeal by fire (figurative)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
'The merger process was a long ordeal for the staff.' (Used for stressful, drawn-out business processes.)
Academic
'The historian described the soldiers' ordeal during the siege.' (Used in historical or narrative analysis.)
Everyday
'Getting the kids through the airport was a real ordeal.' (Used for difficult, stressful everyday situations.)
Technical
In law/history: Refers to the medieval practice of 'trial by ordeal', a judicial process.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The word 'ordeal' is not used as a verb.
American English
- The word 'ordeal' is not used as a verb.
adverb
British English
- The word 'ordeal' is not used as an adverb.
American English
- The word 'ordeal' is not used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- The word 'ordeal' is not used as an adjective. Use 'ordeous' (archaic/poetic) or 'trying', 'gruelling'.
American English
- The word 'ordeal' is not used as an adjective. Use 'ordeous' (archaic/poetic) or 'trying', 'gruelling'.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The visit to the dentist was a big ordeal for the little boy.
- Moving house can be quite an ordeal.
- Surviving the mountain climb was a real ordeal.
- She described her interview as a stressful ordeal.
- The survivors recounted the harrowing ordeal of being lost at sea for three days.
- The legal proceedings turned into a protracted ordeal for the family.
- The hostage's psychological ordeal left indelible scars long after his physical release.
- Enduring the public inquiry was an ordeal of bureaucratic attrition that tested her resolve.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine an ORDEAL as a DEAL you make with a difficult OR situation: you must endure it.
Conceptual Metaphor
DIFFICULT EXPERIENCE IS A PAINFUL JOURNEY / TRIAL / TEST OF STRENGTH.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Not a direct translation of 'испытание' which can be neutral or positive (e.g., a test). 'Ordeal' is always negative and severe. Avoid using it for minor challenges or neutral tests.
Common Mistakes
- Using it for minor inconveniences (e.g., 'The queue was an ordeal.' - only if it was exceptionally long and stressful). Misspelling as 'ordael' or 'ordiel'.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following situations is LEAST likely to be described as an 'ordeal'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Generally, yes. It suggests a severe, painful, or prolonged test of endurance. Using it for minor troubles can sound overly dramatic or humorous.
It comes from Old English 'ordāl, ordēl', meaning 'judgment, verdict'. It originally referred to the medieval 'trial by ordeal', where an accused person underwent a dangerous physical test (like holding hot iron) to determine guilt or innocence by divine intervention.
No, 'ordeal' is exclusively a noun in modern English. You cannot say 'he was ordealed'. Use verbs like 'put through an ordeal', 'subject to an ordeal', or 'endure an ordeal'.
The most common mistake is overuse, applying it to any minor difficulty or challenge. Another is confusing it with 'trial' in the sense of a 'test run' or 'experiment', which lacks the inherent suffering of an ordeal.