as in ordeal
a test of faith, patience, or strength
soldiers who had withstood the crucible of war
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Recent Examples of crucible
Founded in the 10th century, this complex of churches was a crucible of wisdom for calligraphers, philosophers, and illuminators.
—
Marlise Kast-Myers, Boston Herald, 12 Apr. 2026
School is the crucible where raw vitality encounters the collective will to impose order and control but also to bring cultural richness to lives that might otherwise remain inhibited and crude.
—Tim Parks, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
Reading two books in one sitting was no longer a thing only possible in the crucible of graduate studies.
—Jeremy O. Harris, Vanity Fair, 1 Apr. 2026
To a remarkable degree, CBS during the Paley era reflected the crucible of that war, as did so many other institutions.
—Arthur Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crucible
Marlise Kast-Myers, Boston Herald, 12 Apr. 2026
School is the crucible where raw vitality encounters the collective will to impose order and control but also to bring cultural richness to lives that might otherwise remain inhibited and crude.
—Tim Parks, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
Reading two books in one sitting was no longer a thing only possible in the crucible of graduate studies.
—Jeremy O. Harris, Vanity Fair, 1 Apr. 2026
To a remarkable degree, CBS during the Paley era reflected the crucible of that war, as did so many other institutions.
—Arthur Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crucible
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crucible
Noun
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In his remarks after the hearing Wednesday, Parente said the entire ordeal was a big waste of resources, particularly given the brutality of the federal agents who participated in Midway Blitz.—
Jason Meisner,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
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Garrison noted the ordeal has taken a significant toll.—
Chelsea Jones,
Miami Herald,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In the wrong hands, connections like that can lead to cronyism and profiteering — and there were times when Gray’s relationships came under fire.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The cause of the plane’s malfunctions is, duh, random sparks from annoying Dan’s charger starting a fire in cargo.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The Timberwolves’ chances of surviving the gauntlet of the postseason took a blow with the loss of DiVincenzo — and an injury to Anthony Edwards, too — and yet received a boon from Dosunmu.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
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Developers face a gauntlet of zoning rules, permitting delays, high construction costs, expensive property taxes and local political hurdles, all of which slow or shrink projects before they ever get built.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Eventually, he would be given a fair trial by a jury of his peers.—
Saïd Sayrafiezadeh,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
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But whether a potential second film would try to acknowledge the abuse allegations against Jackson, including those at the center of a 2005 trial that ended in his acquittal on all counts, is unclear.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crucible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crucible. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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