misadventure · noun — synonym of misfortune, bad luck or mishap, an instance of bad luck. It carries an Arena rating of 1805, earned across 87 head-to-head judged battles.
Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, misadventure ranks #968 of 17,188 for Words That Escaped Their Books, #1,808 of 17,187 for Most Malleable Words, #2,320 of 17,165 for Most Satisfying to Say, #2,924 of 17,171 for Scariest Words.
Why “misadventure” is a great word
MISADVENTURE — [Noun] A specific incident of accidental misfortune, often serious or consequential. From Middle English *misaventure*, from Old French *mesaventure*, equivalent to the prefix *mis-* ("badly, wrongly") + *adventure* ("chance event, fortune"). First attested in the 13th century. Unlike "mishap," which implies a trivial stumble, or "adversity," which denotes a prolonged hardship, "misadventure" names a singular, fateful event where fortune pivots from risk to ruin. It is the ship foundering on an uncharted reef, the trusted rope fraying through at the crucial instant, the meticulously planned heist foiled by a passing patrol—each a poignant rupture where adventure’s promise curdles into accident.
❧ Essay by Lexicurio’s AI · definition, etymology & citations from published sources
Etymology
From Middle English misaventure, from Old French mesaventure, from mes- (“mis-”) + aventure (“adventure”). Equivalent to mis- + adventure. Compare disadventure.
noun
- Synonym of misfortune, bad luck or mishap, an instance of bad luck.
- Synonym of mistake, a misguided and/or failed enterprise, a risky action that turns out badly.e.g.“yet another American military misadventure”
- A fatal mishap, especially one voluntarily risked by the victim, bad luck causing an accidental death without attaching any liability to any other involved parties.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Words closest in meaning
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