misfortune

noun

mis·​for·​tune ˌmis-ˈfȯr-chən How to pronounce misfortune (audio)
1
a
: an event or conjunction of events that causes an unfortunate or distressing result : bad luck
by misfortune he fell into bad company
had the misfortune to break his leg
b
: an unhappy situation
always ready to help people in misfortune
2
: a distressing or unfortunate incident or event
misfortunes never come singly
Choose the Right Synonym for misfortune

misfortune, mischance, adversity, mishap 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

mischance applies especially to a situation involving no more than slight inconvenience or minor annoyance.

took the wrong road by mischance

adversity applies to a state of grave or persistent misfortune.

had never experienced great adversity

mishap applies to an often trivial instance of bad luck.

the usual mishaps of a family vacation

Examples of misfortune in a Sentence

a victim of economic misfortune She endured her misfortune without complaint. It was my misfortune to be chosen first. Her injury was a great misfortune. He blamed the party's misfortunes on poor leadership.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The structure is not dissimilar from a classic episode of another FX comedy-drama hybrid, Atlanta, where Paper Boi’s attempt to get a haircut from his favorite barber led him on an odyssey of crime and misfortune. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 27 June 2025 Compounding those misfortunes, Elio emerged into the jet wash of How to Train Your Dragon, another family film and the fourth installment of a blockbuster franchise with more than two decades of audience goodwill that is certain to rank among the year’s most lucrative movies. Chris Lee, Vulture, 24 June 2025 To again almost quote Oscar Wilde, to concede one five when trying to run out the India captain may be considered misfortune. Paul Newman, New York Times, 20 June 2025 Life often brings unexpected harm and misfortune, and during unfortunate times, Americans rely on Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program as safeguards to survive life’s storms. Dee Stewart, Boston Herald, 20 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for misfortune

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of misfortune was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Misfortune.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misfortune. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

misfortune

noun
mis·​for·​tune (ˈ)mis-ˈfȯr-chən How to pronounce misfortune (audio)
1
: bad luck especially for a long period of time
2
: an unfortunate condition or event : disaster

More from Merriam-Webster on misfortune

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