Word
misfortune
Phoneticsmis·for·tune, stress on the second syllable
US/mɪsˈfɔɹtʃən/
UK/mɪsfˈɔːtʃuːn/
Definitions
01bad luck
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. the general state of having bad luck or things going wrong.
n. the abstract state of bad luck or ill fortune. Uncountable in this sense.
“He had the misfortune of losing his keys on the very first day of his holiday.”
“The project failed not through lack of effort, but through a series of events attributed to pure misfortune.”
Synonyms
02an unlucky event
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a specific unlucky event, accident, or problem.
n. a specific instance of bad luck or an unfortunate accident. Countable in this sense.
“Losing his job was a great misfortune for his family.”
“The explorer suffered many misfortunes during the expedition, including a broken leg and the loss of his primary supplies.”
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“To have one air traffic control failure in a fortnight may be regarded as a misfortune, to have two looks like carelessness.” “Is our embarrassing misfortune down to “bad song choice, weak performance or something else”, she asked.” Etymology
From mis- + fortune.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/misfortune