adversity

[ad-vur-si-tee]

noun

plural

adversities 

1. adverse or unfavorable fortune or fate; a condition marked by misfortune, calamity, or distress.

   Friends will show their true colors in times of adversity.

   Synonyms: misery, trouble, disaster, catastrophe
   Antonyms: prosperity

2. an adverse or unfortunate event or circumstance.

   You will meet many adversities in life.

adversity

/ ədˈvɜːsɪtɪ /

noun

1. distress; affliction; hardship

2. an unfortunate event or incident

Word History and Origins

Origin of adversity¹

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English adversite, from Anglo-French, from Latin adversitās “opposition”; equivalent to adverse + -ity

Synonym Study

See affliction.

Example Sentences

In the face of such adversity, Bublik still managed to play with a smile on his face and shared a joke at the net with Sinner following his heavy defeat.

From BBC

Facing adversity can also be a good test of whether a relationship will last in the real world.

From BBC

“That was a great defensive line, and we had to battle through adversity. It shows what kind of team we have.”

From Los Angeles Times

And it remains to be seen how Davies and those players retained from last season deal with a period of adversity.

From BBC

"Being thrust into unfamiliar environments where you're facing adversity or risk helps you understand how fragile life is and how quickly it can change," he says.

From BBC

Related Words

• calamity 
• catastrophe 
• crunch 
• difficulty 
• disaster 
• hard times www.thesaurus.com
• hardship 
• misery 
• misfortune 
• mishap 
• sorrow 
• suffering 
• trouble