ADVERSITY Synonyms: 93 Similar and Opposite Words

adversity

noun

ad-ˈvər-sə-tē

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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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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 But Venezuelans, having endured years of crises, know how to tackle adversity. —

Michael Rios, CNN Money, 6 Jan. 2026 For the Avalanche, this is the most adversity of the season to date. —

Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 6 Jan. 2026 Every season is different, had its challenges and adversity. —

Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 5 Jan. 2026 Suffice to say, the 49ers are used to adversity. —

Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 4 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for adversity

Recent Examples of Synonyms for adversity

Noun

The 26-year-old pop star Audrey Hobert kicked off her first major solo tour in December with a brief stroke of misfortune.

— Carrie Battan, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2026
The Mavericks’ injury misfortune worsened during Wednesday’s primetime matchup against the Denver Nuggets.

— Mike Curtis, Dallas Morning News, 14 Jan. 2026