# trial by fire

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/trial-by-fire
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Any ordeal which tests one's strength, endurance or resolve.

## Examples

- My first day at the busy restaurant was a real trial by fire.
- The new manager faced a trial by fire when the entire computer system crashed on her first morning.
- The young officer considered his first command during the heat of battle to be a true trial by fire that defined his entire career.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.