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
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Recent Examples of misfortunes
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
Once these people are already profiting off their own peccadillos and escalating misfortunes, why shouldn’t HBO?
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 11 Feb. 2026
Some of these myths include a home facing south will bring financial and health problems and misfortunes to the occupants—however, many Vastu sources also say a south-facing home can be auspicious if done right.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 11 Feb. 2026
Embodying a character as evil as Stephen has made the far more relaxed White—whose real-life mother, Katey Sagal, plays his character’s troubled mother on the series—relish the character’s small misfortunes.
—Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 20 Jan. 2026
What traits, decisions, or misfortunes exceed a person’s jurisdiction?
—Rachel Vorona Cote, The Atlantic, 5 Jan. 2026
Adamolekun took the helm of Red Lobster in August 2024 after a series of misfortunes at the once-failing casual-dining chain.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 17 Dec. 2025
Mistakes, misfortunes, even tragedy, toxic secrets from the past—anything can happen, or may have happened.
—Literary Hub, 24 Oct. 2025
According to local belief, sending a lantern upward helps cleanse a person’s spirit and eases their misfortunes, clearing the path for good luck in the coming year.
—Sarah Buder, AFAR Media, 20 Oct. 2025
Alex Harring, CNBC, 20 Feb. 2026
Once these people are already profiting off their own peccadillos and escalating misfortunes, why shouldn’t HBO?
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 11 Feb. 2026
Some of these myths include a home facing south will bring financial and health problems and misfortunes to the occupants—however, many Vastu sources also say a south-facing home can be auspicious if done right.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 11 Feb. 2026
Embodying a character as evil as Stephen has made the far more relaxed White—whose real-life mother, Katey Sagal, plays his character’s troubled mother on the series—relish the character’s small misfortunes.
—Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 20 Jan. 2026
What traits, decisions, or misfortunes exceed a person’s jurisdiction?
—Rachel Vorona Cote, The Atlantic, 5 Jan. 2026
Adamolekun took the helm of Red Lobster in August 2024 after a series of misfortunes at the once-failing casual-dining chain.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 17 Dec. 2025
Mistakes, misfortunes, even tragedy, toxic secrets from the past—anything can happen, or may have happened.
—Literary Hub, 24 Oct. 2025
According to local belief, sending a lantern upward helps cleanse a person’s spirit and eases their misfortunes, clearing the path for good luck in the coming year.
—Sarah Buder, AFAR Media, 20 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misfortunes
Noun
-
As of Monday evening, there have been no tragedies reported in relation to the storm, Hooley said.—
Gayla Cawley,
Boston Herald,
24 Feb. 2026
-
The lawsuit Paxton brought against the company sought compensation for economic losses, civil penalties and a court order compelling the company to take corrective measures to prevent future tragedies.—
Lana Ferguson,
Dallas Morning News,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Cliffside Confessions Since establishing his BASE jump guiding company in 2022, LaJeunesse has leaned into the hardships some of his clients want to face.—
Maya Silver,
Outside,
25 Feb. 2026
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Russia's border regions have also faced hardships, as Ukrainian drone attacks knocked out heat and power for local residents in reciprocal attacks.—
Joanna Kakissis,
NPR,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Liz’s view The finance set has been worried about private credit, amplified by the troubles at Blue Owl, where a flood of redemption requests forced the firm to sell assets and look to wind down one of its funds for individual investors.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
2 Mar. 2026
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And thanks to a penalty clause in its sale agreement with Warners, Paramount will now have to write a nearly $3 billion check to Netflix for its troubles.—
Josef Adalian,
Vulture,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
When—and why—laughter works In the study, Sezer and her colleagues ran six experiments involving more than 3,000 participants who read about other people’s embarrassing mishaps, like dramatically knocking over a glass in a restaurant or enthusiastically waving at the wrong person.—
Angela Haupt,
Time,
27 Feb. 2026
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The astrological shift is often associated with communication breakdowns, travel mishaps and a generally ominous energy.—
Faith Bugenhagen,
Austin American Statesman,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Kathryn Hahn and Derrick Henry on a trolley The misadventures of actress Kathryn Hahn and Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry on a trolley car.—
Lawrence Dow,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 Feb. 2026
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For the remainder of the final season, Penny Marshall was paired with rotating guest stars for a series of comedic misadventures.—
Marc Berman,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Misfortunes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misfortunes. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
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