A misfortune is something unpleasant or unlucky that happens to someone.
She seemed to enjoy the misfortunes of others. [+ of]
He had his full share of misfortune.
Synonyms: bad luck, adversity, hard luck, ill luck More Synonyms of misfortune
More Synonyms of misfortune
misfortune in British English
(mɪsˈfɔːtʃən)
noun
1.
evil fortune; bad luck
2.
an unfortunate or disastrous event; calamity
misfortune in American English
(mɪsˈfɔrtʃən)
noun
1.
bad luck; ill fortune; trouble; adversity
2.
an instance of this; unlucky accident; mishap; mischance
SIMILAR WORDS: afˈfliction
Examples of 'misfortune' in a sentence
misfortune
Building flood defences is a natural reaction to the misfortunes suffered by many earlier in the year.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
His face was both his fortune and misfortune.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
It was a great misfortune that she was widowed so young.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
You have probably already suffered some misfortune and most creditors and all courts should take this fully into consideration.
Tondeur, Keith Say Goodbye to Debt (1994)
This is the great misfortune of America!
Richard Ingrams The Life and Adventures of William Cobbett (2005)
When you suffer a misfortune, you are faced with the choice of what to do with it.
Siegel, Bernie S. (MD) Love, Medicine and Miracles (1990)
Most people who follow sport know enough not to gloat: your own misfortunes will follow soon enough.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
While that may be true for a minority, most people with debt problems simply lost their job or suffered some other misfortune.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
The plot of this drama involves the fortunes and misfortunes of both high and low life, and exhibits great knowledge both of the world and the towns.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The first is simply that he had the great misfortune to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, the random victim of a stray shot.
Andy Dougan THE HUNTING OF MAN (2004)
Quotations
In the misfortune of our best friends, we always find something which is not displeasing to usDuc de la RochefoucauldRéflexions ou Maximes Morales
misfortune: the kind of fortune which never missesAmbrose BierceThe Devil's Dictionary
Misfortunes never come singly
In other languages
misfortune
British English: misfortune /mɪsˈfɔːtʃən/ NOUN
A misfortune is something unpleasant or unlucky that happens to someone.
She seemed to enjoy the misfortunes of others.
American English: misfortune
Arabic: سُوءُ الْـحَظِ
Brazilian Portuguese: desgraça
Chinese: 不幸
Croatian: nesreća
Czech: smůla
Danish: ulykke
Dutch: tegenslag
European Spanish: desgracia
Finnish: epäonni
French: malchance
German: Pech Zustand
Greek: κακοτυχία
Italian: sfortuna
Japanese: 不運
Korean: 불운
Norwegian: uhell
Polish: nieszczęście
European Portuguese: desgraça
Romanian: ghinion
Russian: неудача
Latin American Spanish: desgracia
Swedish: olycka
Thai: ความโชคร้าย
Turkish: talihsizlik
Ukrainian: невдача
Vietnamese: sự bất hạnh
Chinese translation of 'misfortune'
misfortune
(mɪsˈfɔːtʃən)
n(c/u)
不幸 (bùxìng) (种(種), zhǒng)
1 (noun)
Definition
bad luck
She seemed to enjoy the misfortunes of others.
Synonyms
bad luck
adversity
He showed courage in adversity.
hard luck
ill luck
infelicity
evil fortune
bad trot (Australian, slang)
2 (noun)
Definition
an unfortunate event
He had had his full share of misfortunes.
Synonyms
mishap
After a number of mishaps she finally managed to get back home.
loss
trouble
She tells me her troubles. I tell her mine.
trial
the trials of adolescence
blow
The ruling comes as a blow to environmentalists.
failure
The marriage was a failure and they both wanted to be free of it.
accident
5,000 people die every year because of accidents in the home.
disaster
the second air disaster in less than two months
reverse
They have suffered a major reverse.
tragedy
They have suffered an enormous personal tragedy.
harm
It would probably do the economy more harm than good.
misery
There is no point dwelling on the miseries of the past.
setback
He has suffered a serious setback in his political career.
hardship
Many people are suffering economic hardship.
calamity
This course of action could only end in calamity.
affliction
Hay fever is an affliction that arrives at an early age.
tribulation
the trials and tribulations of everyday life
whammy (informal)
misadventure
a verdict of death by misadventure
bummer (slang)
mischance
By some mischance, she injured her knee again.
stroke of bad luck
evil chance
Opposites
relief
,
fortune
,
good luck
Quotations
In the misfortune of our best friends, we always find something which is not displeasing to us [Duc de la Rochefoucauld – Réflexions ou Maximes Morales]misfortune: the kind of fortune which never misses [Ambrose Bierce – The Devil's Dictionary]
proverb
Misfortunes never come singly
Additional synonyms
in the sense of accident
5,000 people die every year because of accidents in the home.
Synonyms
misfortune,
blow,
disaster,
tragedy,
casualty,
setback,
calamity,
mishap,
misadventure,
mischance,
stroke of bad luck
in the sense of adversity
Definition
very difficult or hard circumstances
He showed courage in adversity.
Synonyms
hardship,
trouble,
distress,
suffering,
trial,
disaster,
reverse,
misery,
hard times,
catastrophe,
sorrow,
woe,
misfortune,
bad luck,
deep water,
calamity,
mishap,
affliction,
wretchedness,
ill-fortune,
ill-luck
in the sense of affliction
Definition
something that causes physical or mental suffering
Hay fever is an affliction that arrives at an early age.
Synonyms
misfortune,
suffering,
trouble,
trial,
disease,
pain,
distress,
grief,
misery,
plague (informal),
curse,
ordeal,
sickness,
torment,
hardship,
sorrow,
woe,
adversity,
calamity,
scourge,
tribulation,
wretchedness
Synonyms of 'misfortune'
misfortune
Explore 'misfortune' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of blow
Definition
a sudden setback
The ruling comes as a blow to environmentalists.
Synonyms
setback,
shock,
upset,
disaster,
reverse,
disappointment,
catastrophe,
misfortune,
jolt,
bombshell,
calamity,
affliction,
whammy (informal),
choker (informal),
sucker punch,
bummer (slang),
bolt from the blue,
comedown (informal)
in the sense of calamity
Definition
a disaster or misfortune
This course of action could only end in calamity.
Synonyms
disaster,
tragedy,
ruin,
distress,
reversal of fortune,
hardship,
catastrophe,
woe,
misfortune,
downfall,
adversity,
scourge,
mishap,
affliction,
trial,
tribulation,
misadventure,
cataclysm,
wretchedness,
mischance
in the sense of disaster
Definition
an accident that causes great distress or destruction
the second air disaster in less than two months
Synonyms
catastrophe,
trouble,
blow,
accident,
stroke,
reverse,
tragedy,
ruin,
misfortune,
adversity,
calamity,
mishap,
whammy (informal),
misadventure,
car crash (informal),
train wreck (informal),
cataclysm,
act of God,
bummer (slang),
ruination,
mischance
in the sense of failure
Definition
the act or an instance of failing
The marriage was a failure and they both wanted to be free of it.
Synonyms
catastrophe,
disaster,
fiasco,
let-down,
trouble,
tragedy,
blunder,
misfortune,
devastation,
calamity,
mishap
in the sense of hardship
Definition
something that causes suffering
Many people are suffering economic hardship.
Synonyms
suffering,
want,
need,
trouble,
trial,
difficulty,
burden,
misery,
torment,
oppression,
persecution,
grievance,
misfortune,
austerity,
adversity,
calamity,
affliction,
discomfort,
tribulation,
privation (formal),
destitution
in the sense of harm
It would probably do the economy more harm than good.
Synonyms
damage,
loss,
ill,
hurt,
misfortune,
mischief,
detriment,
impairment,
disservice
in the sense of infelicity
Definition
the state or quality of being unhappy or unfortunate
Synonyms
misfortune,
misery,
sadness,
woe,
bad luck,
unhappiness,
wretchedness
in the sense of misadventure
Definition
an unlucky event
a verdict of death by misadventure
Synonyms
misfortune,
accident,
disaster,
failure,
reverse,
setback,
catastrophe,
debacle,
bad luck,
calamity,
mishap,
bad break (informal),
ill fortune,
ill luck,
mischance,
bummer (slang)
in the sense of mischance
Definition
an unlucky event or accident
By some mischance, she injured her knee again.
Synonyms
misfortune,
accident,
mishap,
disaster,
bad luck,
calamity,
misadventure,
bummer (slang),
contretemps,
bad break (informal),
ill fortune,
ill luck,
infelicity,
ill chance
in the sense of misery
Definition
something which causes such unhappiness
There is no point dwelling on the miseries of the past.
Synonyms
misfortune,
trouble,
trial,
disaster,
load,
burden,
curse,
ordeal,
hardship,
catastrophe,
sorrow,
woe,
calamity,
affliction,
tribulation,
bitter pill (informal)
Additional synonyms
in the sense of reverse
Definition
a change for the worse
They have suffered a major reverse.
Synonyms
misfortune,
check,
defeat,
blow,
failure,
disappointment,
setback,
hardship,
reversal,
adversity,
mishap,
affliction,
repulse,
trial,
misadventure,
vicissitude
in the sense of setback
Definition
anything that delays progress
He has suffered a serious setback in his political career.