adversity
noun
ad·ver·si·ty
ad-ˈvər-sə-tē 
plural adversities
: a state or instance of serious or continued difficulty or misfortune
showing courage in the face of adversity
Did you know?
Adversity comes from Middle English adversite, meaning "opposition, hostility, misfortune, or hardship," which itself is from Latin adversus, the source of adverse, which means "bad or unfavorable," as in "adverse criticism" or "an adverse reaction to the medication."
Synonyms
Examples of adversity in a Sentence
After two years of research, I discovered that everyone has a crisis personality survivor IQ—that they marshal in a moment of adversity: a mindset and ways of thinking about a situation.
—
Ben Sherwood, Newsweek, 2 Feb. 2009
Perhaps because their brains are wired differently, dyslexics are often skilled problem solvers, coming at solutions from novel or surprising angles and making conceptual leaps. … It may also be that their early struggle with reading better prepares them for dealing with adversity in a volatile, fast-changing world.
—Christine Gorman, Time, 28 July 2003
High school, college and even NFL teams have been getting a quick morale boost by going to see Remember the Titans, the schmaltzy but uplifting story about (what else?) a football squad overcoming adversity.
—Sports Illustrated, 6 Nov. 2000
The narrative plot is clearly defined, and it is classically familiar: Huck (without Jim) and Tom Sawyer light out for unknown territory to discover their manhood by successfully confronting the harsh adversities of life.
—John W. Aldridge, Atlantic, August 1994
He showed courage in the face of adversity.
We had to learn to deal with adversity.
Ben Sherwood, Newsweek, 2 Feb. 2009
Perhaps because their brains are wired differently, dyslexics are often skilled problem solvers, coming at solutions from novel or surprising angles and making conceptual leaps. … It may also be that their early struggle with reading better prepares them for dealing with adversity in a volatile, fast-changing world.
—Christine Gorman, Time, 28 July 2003
High school, college and even NFL teams have been getting a quick morale boost by going to see Remember the Titans, the schmaltzy but uplifting story about (what else?) a football squad overcoming adversity.
—Sports Illustrated, 6 Nov. 2000
The narrative plot is clearly defined, and it is classically familiar: Huck (without Jim) and Tom Sawyer light out for unknown territory to discover their manhood by successfully confronting the harsh adversities of life.
—John W. Aldridge, Atlantic, August 1994
He showed courage in the face of adversity.
We had to learn to deal with adversity.
Recent Examples on the Web
Research published in the Journal of Organization Design indicates that organizations with cultures promoting proactive adaptation to adversity demonstrated better performance outcomes during unexpected shocks.
—Sherzod Odilov, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024
Overcoming adversity: Love had a stutter that kept him from getting work after his playing career ended in 1977.
—Justin Kaufmann, Axios, 19 Nov. 2024
The Rams have shown resolve, resilience and the ability to respond to adversity, McVay said.
—Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2024
There is something magnetic about Sherif’s confidence on the microphone, not the least because his lyrics center on defiance in the face of adversity and his own sheer force of will — not something to be taken lightly.
—Heran Mamo, Billboard, 31 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for adversity 
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Sherzod Odilov, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024
Overcoming adversity: Love had a stutter that kept him from getting work after his playing career ended in 1977.
—Justin Kaufmann, Axios, 19 Nov. 2024
The Rams have shown resolve, resilience and the ability to respond to adversity, McVay said.
—Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2024
There is something magnetic about Sherif’s confidence on the microphone, not the least because his lyrics center on defiance in the face of adversity and his own sheer force of will — not something to be taken lightly.
—Heran Mamo, Billboard, 31 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for adversity
Dictionary Entries Near adversity
Cite this Entry
“Adversity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adversity. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
adversity
noun
ad·ver·si·ty
ad-ˈvər-sət-ē
plural adversities
: an instance or condition of serious or continued misfortune
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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