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 This early-career triumph set the stage for a lifetime of overcoming adversity. Andrew Ravens‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 July 2025 Every team goes through adversity, maybe different kinds, but this is a resilient group. Joe Reedy, Baltimore Sun, 3 July 2025 She has been hit with a lot of adversity, but the team is still alive in the race for the playoffs. Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 July 2025 But the bad out of it was expecting no type of adversity. Will Sammon, New York Times, 12 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for adversity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adversity
Noun
  • When a child is harmed, her parent, in scrambling to make sense of her family’s sorrow and misfortune, may settle on blaming the person closest at hand.
    Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 7 July 2025
  • Some shook their legs nervously, others gave death glares to folks with the misfortune of sitting on creaky chairs.
    Omkar Khandekar, NPR, 8 June 2025
Noun
  • Individuals facing hardship or without access to digital payment methods can apply for exemptions, which are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
    Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 July 2025
  • Derrick McCray wasn’t about to let sickness, death and hardship derail a 91-year-old barbecue dynasty, not after all his restaurant achieved: catering 18 straight Super Bowls, serving ribs to U.S. presidents and standing as a safe haven through the civil rights era.
    Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 14 July 2025
Noun
  • As the climate crisis accelerates, producing more frequent and devastating tragedies, our leaders must offer more than thoughts and prayers.
    Brian Recker, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 July 2025
  • Blakely, along with 26 other Camp Mystic girls and counselors, perished in the deluge – forcing her family to endure yet another unfathomable tragedy.
    Pamela Brown, CNN Money, 18 July 2025
Noun
  • The logistical difficulty of smuggling datacenter-grade hardware is often underestimated; these GPUs arrive preassembled into racks that can weigh over 3,600 pounds, making physical diversion highly impractical.
    Patrick Moorhead, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
  • Almost from the start, however, the project faced difficulties due to the fact that NTE Energy continued to hold the certificate of approval from the siting council to develop the property for a power plant — despite having since gone out of business.
    John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 15 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Adversity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adversity. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.

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