1
as in misfortune
bad luck or an example of this
many people came face-to-face with life-altering adversity when the stock market crashed
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hardship
something that is a cause for suffering or special effort especially in the attainment of a goal
some overcame all the adversities of the Great Depression and rebuilt their fortunes
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of adversity
The awards help the women pursue their educational goals in the face of adversity, said Poway Soroptimist member Janice Takade.
—
Julie Gallant, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
Despite battling through some adversity early in his career with a major knee injury — which required ACL and MCL surgery — in 2021, Conley’s athleticism and explosiveness shined through during the drill.
—Mike Kaye
updated March 26, Charlotte Observer, 26 Mar. 2026
The takeaway here is much more sobering than those of cinema’s other big animal fantasies, in which the hardworking mammalian protagonists tend to triumph over adversity.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
We get hit, get some adversity, miss some shots, and then just everybody starts worrying about what happened on offense and teams take advantage of it and keep punishing us.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for adversity
Julie Gallant, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
Despite battling through some adversity early in his career with a major knee injury — which required ACL and MCL surgery — in 2021, Conley’s athleticism and explosiveness shined through during the drill.
—Mike Kaye
updated March 26, Charlotte Observer, 26 Mar. 2026
The takeaway here is much more sobering than those of cinema’s other big animal fantasies, in which the hardworking mammalian protagonists tend to triumph over adversity.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
We get hit, get some adversity, miss some shots, and then just everybody starts worrying about what happened on offense and teams take advantage of it and keep punishing us.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for adversity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adversity
Noun
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In two of those, the Bruins had the misfortune of running into a wall — eventual champions South Carolina in 2022 and LSU in 2023.—
John Shipley,
Twin Cities,
26 Mar. 2026
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Apart from her increasing unreliability, and the fact that musicals were outré, Minnelli had the misfortune of becoming famous in an era when versatility was the rage.—
Matt Weinstock,
New Yorker,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
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To date, the Fort Worth Food + Wine Foundation has raised more than $610,000, providing grants, scholarships, and financial support to more than 230 local food and beverage professionals during times of hardship.—
Lauren Crawford,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
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Those who qualify for a hardship deferment include people receiving certain types of federal or state aid and anyone volunteering in the Peace Corps, Kantrowitz said.—
Kamaron McNair,Annie Nova,
CNBC,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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North Miami Mayor Alix Desulme, who sometimes served as a mentor and listening board for Metayer Bowen, was equally saddened by the tragedy.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
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Despite the Reina Sofía’s many refusals to lend the work to various institutions around the world, its rebuff of the Guggenheim’s request carries a particular sting because the Basque Country has long held that the painting belongs in the place where the depicted tragedy occurred.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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If not treated early, the infection can progress to more serious symptoms, such as joint swelling and arthritis, nerve pain, tingling or numbness, facial muscle weakness, heart inflammation and difficulties with memory or concentration.—
Emily Bache,
The Conversation,
31 Mar. 2026
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Charter school groups and lawmakers who backed the law say IPEC will rescue Indianapolis public schools from financial difficulties and share tax revenues more fairly with the city's myriad charter and innovation schools.—
Jordan Smith,
IndyStar,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Adversity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adversity. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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