Word
tribulation
Phoneticstribu·la·tion
US/ˌtɹɪbjəˈɫeɪʃən/
UK/tɹˌɪbjʊlˈeɪʃən/
Definitions
01great trouble or suffering
n. a situation that causes a lot of worry, pain, or difficulty over a long time.
n. a state of great affliction, distress, or suffering; a trying experience that tests one's endurance.
“The family faced many tribulations during their first year in the new country.”
“The biography details the various trials and tribulations the artist endured before finally achieving international recognition in her sixties.”
Formal
Usage
Commonly appears in the fixed binomial phrase 'trials and tribulations'.
02religious period of suffering
n. in some Christian beliefs, a period of great suffering on Earth before the return of Jesus.
n. a predicted period of extreme worldwide hardship and persecution preceding the Second Coming of Christ.
“Some religious groups believe the Great Tribulation will last for seven years.”
“Theologians continue to debate whether the faithful will be spared from the coming Tribulation or must endure it as a final test of spirit.”
Technical
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“Funny and authentic, she captured the trials and tribulations of life in a way that was always relatable, even when her stage outfits and her hairstyle remained larger than life.” “Irene can do the hard things and get through whatever tribulations get thrown her way.” Etymology
From Middle English tribulation, from Old French tribulacion, from Late Latin trībulātiō (“distress, trouble, tribulation, affliction”), from Latin tribulāre (“to press, probably also thresh out grain”), from trībulum (“a sledge consisting of a wooden block studded with sharp pieces of flint or with iron teeth, used for threshing grain”), from terēre (“to rub”); see trite.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
trials and tribulations — Unpleasant experiences that put one's endurance and strength to the test.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/tribulation