Word noun
misfortune
n.
US /mɪsˈfɔɹtʃən/ UK /mɪsfˈɔːtʃuːn/ mis·for·tune UK spelling misfortune's, misfortune's
Definition
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
the general state of having bad luck or things going wrong.
the abstract state of bad luck or ill fortune. Uncountable in this sense.
Simple“He had the misfortune of losing his keys on the very first day of his holiday.”
In context“The project failed not through lack of effort, but through a series of events attributed to pure misfortune.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
a specific unlucky event, accident, or problem.
a specific instance of bad luck or an unfortunate accident. Countable in this sense.
Simple“Losing his job was a great misfortune for his family.”
In context“The explorer suffered many misfortunes during the expedition, including a broken leg and the loss of his primary supplies.”
Synonyms
Etymology
From mis- + fortune.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated