Words / C1

uhd-VURS-uh-tee/ədˈvɜːsəti/

Adversity is a difficult or unpleasant situation, often prolonged: in the face of adversity, years of adversity. Hardship is the close twin; adverse (already in the dictionary) is the adjective; prosperity sits opposite. A cancelled night bus is a transport minute, not a caption about character.

Meaning

A difficult or unpleasant situation; serious hardship.

Examples

• “Adversity on the night-bus route is a transport minute, not a character-building caption.”
• “Hardship is the close twin. Misfortune is more one-off. Adverse is already in this course. A route cut is logistics. Character is a story. Reinstate the bus, or name the exclusion in the n.”

Good to know

Hardship; a difficult situation. Close: hardship. Adjective: adverse (already in the dictionary). A bus cut ≠ character.

Near in meaning

hardship

New