MISFORTUNE Synonyms: 56 Similar and Opposite Words

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

Some common synonyms of misfortune are adversity , mischance , and mishap . While all these words 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

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

The words adversity and misfortune are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, adversity applies to a state of grave or persistent misfortune. // had never experienced great adversity

Q: When could 'mischance' be used to replace 'misfortune'?

Although the words mischance and misfortune have much in common, mischance applies especially to a situation involving no more than slight inconvenience or minor annoyance. // took the wrong road by mischance

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

While the synonyms mishap and misfortune are close in meaning, mishap applies to an often trivial instance of bad luck. // the usual mishaps of a family vacation

misfortune

noun

ˌmis-ˈfȯr-chən

Definition of misfortune

as in tragedy

bad luck or an example of this through sheer misfortune our car got a flat tire and we were late for the ceremony our misfortunes of the last year included the loss of a beloved pet

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How does the noun misfortune differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of misfortune are adversity, mischance, and mishap. While all these words 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

When might adversity be a better fit than misfortune?

The words adversity and misfortune are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, adversity applies to a state of grave or persistent misfortune.

had never experienced great adversity

When could mischance be used to replace misfortune?

Although the words mischance and misfortune have much in common, mischance applies especially to a situation involving no more than slight inconvenience or minor annoyance.

took the wrong road by mischance

When can mishap be used instead of misfortune?

While the synonyms mishap and misfortune are close in meaning, 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 misfortune He was criticized for outing LGBTQ+ stars who hadn’t revealed their sexuality publicly, and for bullying others by mocking their misfortune. — Shirley Halperin, Rolling Stone, 6 Aug. 2026 In this family, Shigejiro seemed to be cloaked in a waterproof tarpaulin that repelled the currents of misfortune. — Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026 Or more specifically, had the misfortune of living in Patrick Mahomes’ AFC. — Darren Cooper, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026 Deer-Proof Your Garden To keep your flowers from being gobbled up by deer—one of the most heartbreaking of all garden misfortunes—choose flowers that people find glorious and deer find disgusting. — Mary Alice Russell, Southern Living, 13 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for misfortune

Recent Examples of Synonyms for misfortune

Noun

The accident was one of the Portuguese capital’s worst tragedies in recent memory and cast a shadow over the city’s ongoing tourism boom.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
These days, the existential challenges faced by newspapers across the country sound more like a Shakespearean tragedy than a comedy.

— Julie Hinds, Freep.com, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of tragedy

Noun

Miley told People at the time that music is how the two have always stayed bonded, even amid family hardships.

— Zack Sharf, Variety, 3 Sep. 2026
Having already weathered so many attacks aimed at diminishing its power, the remaining Iranian leadership, which learned to tolerate hardship in the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s, is unlikely to be cowed by further aggression.

— JAMES F. JEFFREY, Foreign Affairs, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of hardship

Noun

Jordan, to whom scorn comes more naturally than grace, accuses him of envying the rest of the troupe’s ennobling misery.

— Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Some residents said hope is elusive given the island’s litany of miseries – from natural disasters to a bankrupt government to a financial control board that manages funding for infrastructure.

— Isabel Rosales, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of misery

Browse Nearby Words

misfits

misfortune

misfortunes

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“Misfortune.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misfortune. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of misfortune

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