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.
But there is more than a vague element of misfortune in Cassidy’s story. Phil Hay, New York Times, 11 July 2025 First responders, Tahoe residents, experienced captains and experts on weather and safety painted a picture of both extreme misfortune and lucky coincidences that day. Ethan Wolin updated July 4, Sacbee.com, 4 July 2025 Students reported a range of misfortunes, including severe injuries from car accidents, pregnancy complications, depression, PTSD, blindness and chronic illness—all conditions that could befall any STEM major at any time. Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025 If only, Dyer implies, Americans with the misfortune of paying for their own dental care could afford the rite of developing gum boils. Daniel Felsenthal, Los Angeles Times, 9 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 18 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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