adversity

/ædˈvʌrsɪɾi/
/ædˈvʌsɪti/
IPA guide

Other forms: adversities

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.

Definitions of adversity
  1. noun
    a state of misfortune or affliction
    “debt-ridden farmers struggling with adversity”
    synonyms: hard knocks, hardship
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    types:
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    ill-being
    lack of prosperity or happiness or health
    catastrophe, disaster
    a state of extreme (usually irremediable) ruin and misfortune
    extremity
    an extreme condition or state (especially of adversity or disease)
    distress
    a state of adversity (danger or affliction or need)
    affliction
    a state of great suffering and distress due to adversity
    victimisation, victimization
    adversity resulting from being made a victim
    low-water mark, nadir
    an extreme state of adversity; the lowest point of anything
    miserableness, misery, wretchedness
    a state of ill-being due to affliction or misfortune
    anguish
    extreme distress of body or mind
    bitter end
    the final extremity (however unpleasant it may be)
    pressure
    an oppressive condition of physical or mental or social or economic distress
    throe
    hard or painful trouble or struggle
    cross, crown of thorns
    any affliction that causes great suffering
    type of:
    bad luck, ill luck, misfortune, tough luck
    an unfortunate state resulting from unfavorable outcomes
  2. noun
    a stroke of ill fortune; a calamitous event
    “a period marked by adversities”
    see moresee less
    type of:
    bad luck, misfortune
    unnecessary and unforeseen trouble resulting from an unfortunate event
Pronunciation
US
/ædˈvʌrsɪɾi/
UK
/ædˈvʌsɪti/
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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘adversity'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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