misfortune

noun

mis·​for·​tune ˌmis-ˈfȯr-chən 

1

a

: an event or conjunction of events that causes an unfortunate or distressing result : bad luck

by misfortune he fell into bad company

had the misfortune to break his leg

b

: an unhappy situation

always ready to help people in misfortune

2

: a distressing or unfortunate incident or event

misfortunes never come singly

Synonyms

• adversity
• ill
• knock
• misadventure
• mischance
• mishap
• tragedy

Choose the Right Synonym for misfortune

misfortune, mischance, adversity, mishap mean adverse fortune or an instance of this.

misfortune may apply to either the incident or conjunction of events that is the cause of an unhappy change of fortune or to the ensuing state of distress.

never lost hope even in the depths of misfortune

mischance applies especially to a situation involving no more than slight inconvenience or minor annoyance.

took the wrong road by mischance

adversity applies to a state of grave or persistent misfortune.

had never experienced great adversity

mishap applies to an often trivial instance of bad luck.

the usual mishaps of a family vacation

Examples of misfortune in a Sentence

a victim of economic misfortune

She endured her misfortune without complaint.

It was my misfortune to be chosen first.

Her injury was a great misfortune.

He blamed the party's misfortunes on poor leadership.

Recent Examples on the Web

Precious returns to apply her trademark wit and common sense to get to the bottom of another confounding mystery: why a series of inexplicable misfortunes keep befalling staff and guests of a beloved hotel. 2. —Christine Pride, SELF, 25 Sep. 2024

Sunday’s game offered a whole menu of misfortune for a football team that sees itself as a legitimate playoff contender but has played the first three games like a work-in-progress squad growing dizzy from all the heavy-lifting projects it’s immersed in at once. —Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 22 Sep. 2024

Take insurance, for example, which is based on the principle that many people pay a small amount to ensure that everyone is protected from the cost of major misfortune. —Bernard Marr, Forbes, 16 Sep. 2024

Hell House takes its time spinning the tale of misfortune that befalls the central investigators. —Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 13 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

misfortune

noun

mis·​for·​tune (ˈ)mis-ˈfȯr-chən 

1

: bad luck especially for a long period of time

2

: an unfortunate condition or event : disaster