Dictionary.com

adversity

[ ad-vur-si-tee ]
/ ædˈvɜr sɪ ti /
Save This Word!
See synonyms for: adversity / adversities on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural ad·ver·si·ties for 2.

adverse or unfavorable fortune or fate; a condition marked by misfortune, calamity, or distress: Friends will show their true colors in times of adversity.
an adverse or unfortunate event or circumstance: You will meet many adversities in life.

QUIZZES

QUIZ YOURSELF ON “ITS” VS. “IT’S”!

Apostrophes can be tricky; prove you know the difference between it’s and its in this crafty quiz!
Question 1 of 12
On the farm, the feed for chicks is significantly different from the roosters’; ______ not even comparable.
it's
its
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of adversity

1200–50; Middle English adversite (<Anglo-French ) <Latin adversitās.See adverse, -ity

synonym study for adversity

2. See affliction.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Words related to adversity

disaster, crunch, misfortune, hardship, sorrow, suffering, mishap, difficulty, calamity, misery, trouble, catastrophe, hard times, reverse, clutch, contretemps, poison, trial, drag, jam

Example sentences from the Web for adversity

British Dictionary definitions for adversity

adversity
/ (ədˈvɜːsɪtɪ) /

noun plural -ties

distress; affliction; hardship
an unfortunate event or incident
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Hate Typos? Get Grammar Coach