trial by fire

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In a diplomatic trial by fire she hosted President Trump in Tokyo only days later, widely seen in Japan as a huge success.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 7, 2026

"I have no business education. It's all been trial by fire and learning as we go," says Skuse.

From BBC • Jan. 22, 2026

Joe Alt’s trial by fire in the NFL continues with Cleveland’s Myles Garrett.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 1, 2024

It was kind of trial by fire as soon as I was born, in a way, on a human, cultural level.

From Salon • Oct. 25, 2023

Yet he suspected this was just the beginning of a much larger trial by fire.

From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman