Definitions

adversity

[ad-vur-si-tee] / ædˈvɜr sɪ ti /

NOUN

bad luck, situation

Synonyms

STRONGEST

calamity catastrophe crunch difficulty disaster hard times hardship misery misfortune mishap sorrow suffering trouble

STRONG

affliction bummer clutch contretemps distress downer drag hurting jam jinx poison reverse trial

WEAK

bad break bad thing can of worms evil eye hard knocks ill fortune kiss of death on the skids pain in the neck the worst tough luck

Antonyms

STRONGEST

advantage assistance benefit blessing boon contentment ease favor good fortune good luck happiness joy miracle peace pleasure profit success wonder

STRONG

comfort health

WEAK

aid encouragement fortune help prosperity

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Abigail Maguire's university experience has been marked by trauma and overcoming adversity.

From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026

Football is littered with any number of former pretenders to the Messi throne, all of whom have achieved and suffered varying degrees of success and adversity.

From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026

“Ryan’s always faced adversity with a strong mind,” Rachel said.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026

Themes may emerge: how you beat back adversity, sacrificed for others or discovered new ways to love.

From MarketWatch • May 19, 2026

She reacted as she always did to adversity: by redoubling her efforts to force change on the reluctant city.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson

Vocabulary lists containing adversity

100 SAT Words Beginning with "A"

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100 Top "SAT" Words

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"The Odyssey" by Homer, Books 19–24

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