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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

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 Indeed, Boone is coming off perhaps his finest regular season, leading the Yankees to a 93-68 record despite all of the adversity. — Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 8 Oct. 2026 This Braves team, like that Braves team, is a study in overcoming adversity. — Adam Van Brimmer, AJC.com, 6 Oct. 2026 That is overcoming adversity, using your gift to help others. — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 4 Oct. 2026 Tonsager is prepared for more mishaps and inevitable adversity in Turkey, where Trees says riders will encounter a diverse course that features pine-filled, mountainous sections contrasted with high-plateau, desert conditions. — Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 4 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for adversity

Recent Examples of Synonyms for adversity

Noun

The lawsuits, in his eyes, are simply cases of personal misfortune and landlord greed.

— Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 8 Oct. 2026
And even the best counters are vulnerable to runs of misfortune.

— Kit Chellel, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of misfortune

Noun

But they were seen as adding undue hardships to people who rely heavily on the care.

— Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 15 Oct. 2026
In doing so, the report adds new data to a growing pile of information about poverty and economic hardship in the state, showing that even before some of the upcoming federal benefit cuts take effect, a growing number of households are struggling.

— P.R. Lockhart, Hartford Courant, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of hardship

Noun

There’s a slickness to the carnage that rubs uncomfortably against the film’s humanist ethos, rendering artificial (for all Shen Teng’s trembling and mouth-contorting labors) the horrific tragedies that befall its characters.

— Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
After Monday’s tragedy prompted Six Flags Over Georgia to evacuate guests, a spokesperson said the amusement park will reopen Friday.

— Rebekah Riess, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of tragedy

Noun

Systems fail; unanticipated difficulties occur; things break or rot.

— Maia Szalavitz, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Even if consumers have difficulty discerning chemicals in flossing products, the environmental scientist encourages people not to stop flossing.

— Margaret Hetherman The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of difficulty

Browse Nearby Words

adversities

adversity

advert

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Adversity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adversity. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of adversity

noun

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

jilt

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes