as in tragedy
bad luck or an example of this
through sheer misfortune our car got a flat tire and we were late for the ceremony our misfortunes of the last year included the loss of a beloved pet
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of misfortune
His mother answered, and the woman offered to examine her family tree to locate ancestral sources of misfortune.
—
E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
The triple death was the latest misfortune to stalk the first manned Apollo mission.
—Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Jan. 2026
For example, a compassionate person wants to alleviate suffering or misfortune, but that requires there be suffering or misfortune.
—Michael Prinzing, The Conversation, 23 Jan. 2026
As the son falls out of an old relationship and into a new one, his moodiness acquires a new pathos—seemingly a symptom of the sheer pain of living rather than a response to any single misfortune.
—Dan Sheehan, Literary Hub, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for misfortune
E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
The triple death was the latest misfortune to stalk the first manned Apollo mission.
—Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Jan. 2026
For example, a compassionate person wants to alleviate suffering or misfortune, but that requires there be suffering or misfortune.
—Michael Prinzing, The Conversation, 23 Jan. 2026
As the son falls out of an old relationship and into a new one, his moodiness acquires a new pathos—seemingly a symptom of the sheer pain of living rather than a response to any single misfortune.
—Dan Sheehan, Literary Hub, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for misfortune
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misfortune
Noun
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The death happened four years after a previous tragedy near Northstar.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Feb. 2026
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Worst mass shootings in Canada's history The attack on the village of Tumbler Ridge is among the worst shootings in the history of Canada, where such tragedies are relatively rare.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
12 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Economic hardship is pushing workers to choose cheaper travel options, some taking 30-hour trains instead of faster, costlier alternatives.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
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The hardships sparked mass emigration and economic collapse, leaving an even deeper mark — one that still surfaces in quiet dinners with strangers like us.—
Marlise Kast-Myers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Embracing misery is one kind of defiance; demanding to be heard is another.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
5 Feb. 2026
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This year, more than usual, a group of Florida lawmakers are clinging to a Biblical-sounding principle — and doing their best to ensure that the wages of sin are, at the very least, misery.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Misfortune.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misfortune. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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