adversity
Americannoun
-
adversities
plural
-
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
-
an adverse or unfortunate event or circumstance.
You will meet many adversities in life.
noun
-
distress; affliction; hardship
-
an unfortunate event or incident
Synonym Usage
See affliction.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of adversity
First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English adversite, from Anglo-French, from Latin adversitās “opposition”; equivalent to adverse + -ity
Explanation
When circumstances or situations work against you, you face adversity. Refugees from war-torn countries encounter terrible adversity. Adversity, a noun which has been part of the English language for over 800 years, comes from the Latin adversus, literally "turned against" and figuratively "hostile or unfavorable." When things seem against you — circumstances or a stroke of bad luck — you are facing adversity. Sometimes people use a form of the phrase "turning adversity into opportunity." This refers to the ability some people or companies have to take a bad situation and make it into a successful one.
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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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.
See Examples For:
The Russian term for such toys—which always spring back to vertical—is also an expression for a tenacious person who powers on despite adversity.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 8, 2026
It is a growing strain for a society used to adversity but now stuck in a months-long crisis that has no obvious end in sight.
From Barron's ● Aug. 3, 2026
But, just as following his devastating loss to Alcaraz in their epic French Open final last year, Sinner has again responded to adversity to stand on the brink of glory.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
At this Invictus gathering, in a room dotted with military uniforms, there were inspiring stories of resilience against adversity.
From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026
It was firm in adversity, especially the well-designed addition, which showed no cracks at all.
From "Typical American" by Gish Jen
“I’ve seen how our guys have responded to adversities and losing streaks, and so it’s not a panic situation,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Friday.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2026
The judge added that Mr Fox had tried to "attach blame and discredit" Mr Blake and Mr Seymour during the litigation, and hold them responsible "for a range of his own life's adversities".
From BBC ● Apr. 25, 2024
Individuals who experienced two adulthood adversities had a 24 percent higher chance of depression, while also experiencing a three percent cognitive decline later in life.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 1, 2024
“This is a story of 45 individuals providing a window through which we can observe how they endured major adversities and built a society where compassion and mercy prevailed.”
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 2, 2024
After the movie, we listened to a panel of successful people who had overcome adversities.
From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
