Dictionary
misfortune
noun mis·for·tune \ˌmis-ˈfȯr-chən\
: bad luck
: an unlucky condition or event
Full Definition of MISFORTUNE
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>
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First Known Use of MISFORTUNE
15th century
Related to MISFORTUNE
- Antonyms
- fortune, luck, serendipity
Synonym Discussion of 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>.
MISFORTUNE Defined for Kids
misfortune
noun mis·for·tune \mis-ˈfȯr-chən\
Definition of MISFORTUNE for Kids
1
: bad luck
2
: an unfortunate situation or event
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