ADVERSITY Synonyms: 93 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the noun 'adversity' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of adversity are mischance , misfortune , and mishap . While all these words mean "adverse fortune or an instance of this," adversity applies to a state of grave or persistent misfortune. // had never experienced great adversity

Q: When is it sensible to use 'mischance' instead of 'adversity'?

The words mischance and adversity are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, mischance applies especially to a situation involving no more than slight inconvenience or minor annoyance. // took the wrong road by mischance

Q: When might 'misfortune' be a better fit than 'adversity'?

The meanings of misfortune and adversity largely overlap; however, 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

Q: When can 'mishap' be used instead of 'adversity'?

The synonyms mishap and adversity are sometimes interchangeable, but mishap applies to an often trivial instance of bad luck. // the usual mishaps of a family vacation

adversity

noun

ad-ˈvər-sə-tē

Definition of adversity

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

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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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How does the noun adversity differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of adversity are mischance, misfortune, and mishap. While all these words mean "adverse fortune or an instance of this," adversity applies to a state of grave or persistent misfortune.

had never experienced great adversity

When is it sensible to use mischance instead of adversity?

The words mischance and adversity are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, mischance applies especially to a situation involving no more than slight inconvenience or minor annoyance.

took the wrong road by mischance

When might misfortune be a better fit than adversity?

The meanings of misfortune and adversity largely overlap; however, 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

When can mishap be used instead of adversity?

The synonyms mishap and adversity are sometimes interchangeable, but mishap applies to an often trivial instance of bad luck.

the usual mishaps of a family vacation

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of adversity Riley Newman finished just behind the New Jersey women, carrying his team this week in the face of adversity. — Todd Boss, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 Being the older brother of Carmine and Natalie, Michael takes on the burden of running and owning the shop, despite the issues that come with it, proving Scorpio's power in the face of adversity. — Lisa Stardust, PEOPLE, 25 June 2026 After waltzing past Paraguay and seeing off Australia in Seattle, the match against Turkey marked the first real time the Americans had faced adversity in this World Cup. — Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 25 June 2026 Nobel Peace Prize-winning journalist Maria Ressa was recognized with the club’s Daniel Pearl Award recognizing extraordinary courage and commitment to journalism in the face of adversity. — William Earl, Variety, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for adversity

Recent Examples of Synonyms for adversity

Noun

For some reason, the Lions have long been plagued by misfortune on their defense, especially in the secondary.

— Bob Wojnowski, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 June 2026
There’s Kimi Antonelli’s sudden rise, which so far seems to be one for the ages, while George Russell’s run of misfortune is certainly captivating.

— Alex Kalinauckas, New York Times, 23 June 2026

Definition of misfortune

Noun

My history has been shaped by hardship, self-discovery and a relentless pursuit of purpose.

— Mikhail Shneyder, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
So as opposed to, say, inspiring American leaders of all kinds, like a real explanation of the character of Harriet Tubman or of Chief Joseph or Americans struggled against real hardships.

— Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 2 July 2026

Definition of hardship

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“Adversity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adversity. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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