plight

¹ American  

[plahyt] / plaɪt /

noun

1. a condition, state, or situation, especially an unfavorable or unfortunate one.

   to find oneself in a sorry plight.

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plight ² American  

[plahyt] / plaɪt /

verb (used with object)

1. to pledge (one's troth) in engagement to marry.

2. to bind (someone) by a pledge, especially of marriage.

3. to give in pledge, as one's word, or to pledge, as one's honor.

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noun

1. Archaic. pledge.

plight ¹ British  

/ plaɪt /

verb

1. to give or pledge (one's word)

   he plighted his word to attempt it

2. to promise formally or pledge (allegiance, support, etc)

   to plight aid

3. 1. to make a promise of marriage

   2. to give one's solemn promise

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noun

1. archaic a solemn promise, esp of engagement; pledge

plight ² British  

/ plaɪt /

noun

1. a condition of extreme hardship, danger, etc

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Related Words

See predicament.

Other Word Forms

• plighter noun
• unplighted adjective

Etymology

Origin of plight¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English plit “fold, condition, bad condition,” from Anglo-French (cognate with Middle French pleit plait ) “fold, manner of folding, condition”; spelling apparently influenced by plight ² in obsolete sense “danger”

Origin of plight²

First recorded before 1000; (noun) Middle English; Old English pliht “danger, risk”; cognate with Dutch plicht, German Pflicht “duty, obligation”; (verb) Middle English plighten, Old English plihtan (derivative of the noun) “to endanger, risk, pledge”; cognate with Old High German phlichten “to engage oneself,” Middle Dutch plihten “to guarantee”

Explanation

A plight is a situation that's hard to get out of. Learning about the plight of people trying to rebuild their homes after a devastating earthquake might inspire you to send money to a charity. Plight means predicament. It comes from the word for pleat, which means fold. A plight is a tough bind. You'll usually hear the word plight for groups of people or animals struggling to survive, or struggling for better lives. We talk about the plight of refugees, or the plight of sea birds after an oil spill. An old-fashioned use of plight is for pledge. If you get engaged, you give a plight of your love.

Example Sentences

Gabriela, a 30-year-old Colombian sporting tattoos and clad like most of her fellow sufferers in a white T-shirt, summed up their plight.

From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026

The plight of the menu reflects a rise in uncertainty among customers across Europe.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026

The everlasting draw of “The Forsyte Saga” to both men and women, then, is in the way these stories capture the plight of patriarchal pressures, spoken and implied.

From Salon • Mar. 28, 2026

But as much as Sarah’s plight with infertility is relatable, other moments in the story took more work to get there, like the moment where Abraham talks with God.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 20, 2026

The kids were spaced out along the street, flagging down their neighbors and other pedestrians, explaining their plight.

From "The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street" by Karina Yan Glaser

Related Words

• condition
• predicament
• quandary
• trouble