misfortune
noun
mis·for·tune
ˌmis-ˈfȯr-chən 
1
a
: an event or conjunction of events that causes an unfortunate or distressing result : bad luck
by misfortune he fell into bad company
had the misfortune to break his leg
b
: an unhappy situation
always ready to help people in misfortune
2
: a distressing or unfortunate incident or event
misfortunes never come singly
Examples of misfortune in a Sentence
a victim of economic misfortune
She endured her misfortune without complaint.
It was my misfortune to be chosen first.
Her injury was a great misfortune.
He blamed the party's misfortunes on poor leadership.
Recent Examples on the Web
Despite the simple words and soft pastel illustrations, the similarities between Sarah's real-life drama and the misfortunes that befall the cute, innocent forest animals are undeniable.
—
Maureen Maher, CBS News, 23 May 2025
Aniston plays Tory, who has the misfortune of finding herself in his sights.
—Raechal Shewfelt, EW.com, 22 May 2025
The Big East champion Huskies (35-18) move into the losers’ bracket in the double-elimination regional and have the misfortune of now having to get by top seed LSU on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. in an elimination game.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 16 May 2025
Havana’s misfortune follows a string of nationwide blackouts over several months, most recently in March, that plunged the country’s frail grid into near-total disarray, stressed by fuel shortages, natural disaster and economic crisis.
—Reuters, NBC news, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for misfortune
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Maureen Maher, CBS News, 23 May 2025
Aniston plays Tory, who has the misfortune of finding herself in his sights.
—Raechal Shewfelt, EW.com, 22 May 2025
The Big East champion Huskies (35-18) move into the losers’ bracket in the double-elimination regional and have the misfortune of now having to get by top seed LSU on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. in an elimination game.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 16 May 2025
Havana’s misfortune follows a string of nationwide blackouts over several months, most recently in March, that plunged the country’s frail grid into near-total disarray, stressed by fuel shortages, natural disaster and economic crisis.
—Reuters, NBC news, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for misfortune
Cite this Entry
“Misfortune.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misfortune. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
misfortune
noun
mis·for·tune
(ˈ)mis-ˈfȯr-chən
1
: bad luck especially for a long period of time
2
: an unfortunate condition or event : disaster
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