as in tragedies
bad luck or an example of this
through sheer misfortune our car got a flat tire and we were late for the ceremony our misfortunes of the last year included the loss of a beloved pet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 misfortunes
The Philadelphia singer-songwriter seeks out the mystical potential of quotidian misfortunes in a set of psychedelic-of-center bedroom pop songs.
—
Lily Goldberg, Pitchfork, 8 Apr. 2026
But a staggering series of misfortunes – an arsonist destroyed her rental house; the private equity firm that owned the house still demanded two months’ rent and kept her security deposit; she was diagnosed with ovarian and breast cancer – forced her into tenuous housing situations.
—John Blake, CNN Money, 22 Mar. 2026
Their eyelike motifs have been associated with the evil eye that could curse performances and bring misfortunes.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Mar. 2026
How does falling victim to one of the most notoriously unlikely of all misfortunes reorient your sense of chance, of fate?
—Jacob Stern, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
This is but the first in a series of escalating misfortunes.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 14 Mar. 2026
The journey is hampered by lack of money and other misfortunes, and it’s eventually interrupted by a gunshot, announcing the cantankerous presence of Tiga.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2026
The 33-year-old politician believes that the series illustrates a broader current issue, caused by the resurgence of public interest in the Kennedy clan and its misfortunes.
—Séraphine Roger, Vanity Fair, 4 Mar. 2026
But there’s a network of people looking to cash in on others’ misfortunes by renting out aging RVs to those searching for housing without a lease or tenant protections.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 20 Feb. 2026
Lily Goldberg, Pitchfork, 8 Apr. 2026
But a staggering series of misfortunes – an arsonist destroyed her rental house; the private equity firm that owned the house still demanded two months’ rent and kept her security deposit; she was diagnosed with ovarian and breast cancer – forced her into tenuous housing situations.
—John Blake, CNN Money, 22 Mar. 2026
Their eyelike motifs have been associated with the evil eye that could curse performances and bring misfortunes.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Mar. 2026
How does falling victim to one of the most notoriously unlikely of all misfortunes reorient your sense of chance, of fate?
—Jacob Stern, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
This is but the first in a series of escalating misfortunes.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 14 Mar. 2026
The journey is hampered by lack of money and other misfortunes, and it’s eventually interrupted by a gunshot, announcing the cantankerous presence of Tiga.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2026
The 33-year-old politician believes that the series illustrates a broader current issue, caused by the resurgence of public interest in the Kennedy clan and its misfortunes.
—Séraphine Roger, Vanity Fair, 4 Mar. 2026
But there’s a network of people looking to cash in on others’ misfortunes by renting out aging RVs to those searching for housing without a lease or tenant protections.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 20 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misfortunes
Noun
-
Early in his life, Short experienced multiple family tragedies in a short span of time, including the death of his older brother David in a car accident in 1962 when the actor was only 12-years-old.—
Ashley Hume,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
-
Everyone was in a hurry to move forward into a newly peaceful world, a world without the tragedies of war abroad and the curse of sickness at home.—
Fran Moreland Johns,
The Atlantic,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
The elder Turner, struggling with financial hardships and mental health issues, died by suicide in 1963; his son took over the advertising company, taking on the roles of president and CEO.—
Daniel Arkin,
NBC news,
6 May 2026
-
The closure comes after years of financial hardships, compounded by a recent spike in fuel prices.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
Financial troubles are not why residents like the Magidsons want to rebuild in Grizzly Flats.—
Corey Schmidt,
Sacbee.com,
10 May 2026
-
And downtown on Michigan Avenue, Water Tower Place, once the anchor of Chicago’s Magnificent Mile, carries its own laundry list of troubles after years of financial losses and the closure of several major tenants.—
Audrey Pachuta,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
The mishaps and mini-crises bonded the staff together and sometimes amused the viewing audience as well.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
6 May 2026
-
In a world of tight connections and occasional baggage mishaps, that peace of mind is priceless.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
3 May 2026
Noun
-
Troy was the starting point of Odysseus’s calamitous 10-year westward voyage, with many detours and misadventures, to his kingdom of Ithaca.—
Gitanjali Roy,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Handing the keys of power to wannabe authoritarians is starting to look deeply unwise in light of Washington’s military and trade misadventures.—
Lionel Laurent,
Twin Cities,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Misfortunes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misfortunes. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
