Plight (noun)

1. A difficult or perilous situation.
2. A dangerous or distressing state or condition.
3. A state of affliction or misfortune.
4. A condition or situation that is difficult, dangerous, or problematic.
5. A difficult or unfortunate state of affairs.

Origin:

Middle english: from old norse plegg "pledge"; related to plight, verb.

Examples:

1. The refugees were in a dire plight, having fled their homes with little food or water.
2. The company was in a precarious plight, facing declining profits and mounting debt.
3. The city was in a sorry plight, with its streets littered with debris and its buildings damaged by the earthquake.
4. The soldiers were in a desperate plight, stranded behind enemy lines with limited supplies.
5. The farmers were in a dire plight, with crops devastated by the drought and no means of support.