Tribulation

/ˌtɹɪbjʊˈleɪ̯ʃən/ name, noun

name, noun ·Uncommon ·College level

Meaning at a glance

  • Primary sense: Any adversity; a trying period or event.
  • Grammar: tribulation is listed as name, noun.
  • Nearest alternatives: adverse circumstances, adversity, adversity, affliction.
  • Useful contrasts: comfort, ease, peace.
  • Usage evidence: Like Christianity and Judaism, Islam is a so-called Abrahamic religion. Muslims, as Islamic people are called, repudiate Christianity's Trinity which alludes to polytheism. Islam is strictly monotheistic as they believe that there is only One God, Allāh. Their sacred writings are in the Qur'an, divided into 114 suras, containing 6236 āyāt, verses. Muslims believe that the Qur'an is only perfect in the original Arabic because any translation would be deficient. Their main prophet is Muhammad, the messenger. Muslim eschatology includes bodily resurrection at the Day of Resurrection, Yawm al-Qiyāmah, when everyone will be judged for good or bad deeds. Trials and tribulation precede and coincide with al-Qiyāmah, the time of which no human knows. (I read somewhere too that in Islam, being in hell may be an impermanent condition.) Like other Abrahamicists, Muslims believe in angels. Muslims believe in predestination or divine preordainment. Muslims must pray 5 times during the day. The prayer rituals are called Ṣalāh. Like other religions, Islam has subdivisions, as the Sunni and Shia, the contention being the successor, Abu Bakr or Ali respectively, to Muhammad. (The Islamic religion's progression and overall ambiance are depicted in Frank Herbert's Dune series, which is set thousands of years from now in outer space. There is a desert planet called Arrakis.)

How to use "tribulation"

  1. Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
  2. Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "tribulation" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
  3. Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.

Meaning check

  • Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
  • Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
  • Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
  • Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?

Source and review context

This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "tribulation" in a final draft.

If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.

Before you rely on this definition

Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "tribulation" as the right word for your sentence.

If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "tribulation" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.

Compare nearby meanings

  • Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
  • Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
  • Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
  • Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.

Definition decision workflow

1. Identify the role

Check whether "tribulation" is acting as name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.

2. Test the nearest option

Compare it with "adverse circumstances" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.

3. Confirm with context

Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.

Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.

Final meaning check

Before publishing a sentence with "tribulation", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.

When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Any adversity; a trying period or event. countable, uncountable

    "What wit have we (poor fools) to wit what will serve us, when the blessed Apostle himself in his sore tribulation, praying thrice unto God to take it away from him, was answered again by God in a manner that he was but a fool in asking that request, but that the help of God's grace in that tribulation to strengthen him was far better for him, than to take that tribulation from him?"

  2. 2
    an annoying or frustrating or catastrophic event wordnet
Proper Noun
  1. 1
    (A period of) persecution before the Second Coming, lasting seven years, which Christians will experience worldwide which will purify and strengthen them.

Example

"Like Christianity and Judaism, Islam is a so-called Abrahamic religion. Muslims, as Islamic people are called, repudiate Christianity's Trinity which alludes to polytheism. Islam is strictly monotheistic as they believe that there is only One God, Allāh. Their sacred writings are in the Qur'an, divided into 114 suras, containing 6236 āyāt, verses. Muslims believe that the Qur'an is only perfect in the original Arabic because any translation would be deficient. Their main prophet is Muhammad, the messenger. Muslim eschatology includes bodily resurrection at the Day of Resurrection, Yawm al-Qiyāmah, when everyone will be judged for good or bad deeds. Trials and tribulation precede and coincide with al-Qiyāmah, the time of which no human knows. (I read somewhere too that in Islam, being in hell may be an impermanent condition.) Like other Abrahamicists, Muslims believe in angels. Muslims believe in predestination or divine preordainment. Muslims must pray 5 times during the day. The prayer rituals are called Ṣalāh. Like other religions, Islam has subdivisions, as the Sunni and Shia, the contention being the successor, Abu Bakr or Ali respectively, to Muhammad. (The Islamic religion's progression and overall ambiance are depicted in Frank Herbert's Dune series, which is set thousands of years from now in outer space. There is a desert planet called Arrakis.)"

Common questions

What does "tribulation" mean?

Any adversity; a trying period or event.

What is a synonym for "tribulation"?

Common synonyms include: adverse circumstances, adversity, adversity, affliction, aggravation, agonies.

How do you use "tribulation" in a sentence?

Like Christianity and Judaism, Islam is a so-called Abrahamic religion. Muslims, as Islamic people are called, repudiate Christianity's Trinity which alludes to polytheism. Islam is strictly monotheistic as they believe that there is only One God, Allāh. Their sacred writings are in the Qur'an, divided into 114 suras, containing 6236 āyāt, verses. Muslims believe that the Qur'an is only perfect in the original Arabic because any translation would be deficient. Their main prophet is Muhammad, the messenger. Muslim eschatology includes bodily resurrection at the Day of Resurrection, Yawm al-Qiyāmah, when everyone will be judged for good or bad deeds. Trials and tribulation precede and coincide with al-Qiyāmah, the time of which no human knows. (I read somewhere too that in Islam, being in hell may be an impermanent condition.) Like other Abrahamicists, Muslims believe in angels. Muslims believe in predestination or divine preordainment. Muslims must pray 5 times during the day. The prayer rituals are called Ṣalāh. Like other religions, Islam has subdivisions, as the Sunni and Shia, the contention being the successor, Abu Bakr or Ali respectively, to Muhammad. (The Islamic religion's progression and overall ambiance are depicted in Frank Herbert's Dune series, which is set thousands of years from now in outer space. There is a desert planet called Arrakis.)

How do you pronounce "tribulation"?

Pronounced /ˌtɹɪbjʊˈleɪ̯ʃən/.

Etymology

Etymology 1

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 2

Proprialization from tribulation.

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