adversity
C1Formal/Neutral
Definition
Meaning
A difficult or unpleasant situation, often involving hardship, misfortune, or trouble.
A state of continued difficulty or series of misfortunes that challenges an individual's resilience, often used to describe the hostile circumstances one must overcome.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
While 'difficulty' is more general, 'adversity' specifically connotes sustained hardship or opposition that tests one's character or resolve. It often implies an external force or circumstance.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Minor potential variations in collocational frequency.
Connotations
In both varieties, the word is strongly associated with resilience, character-building, and overcoming challenges.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in formal or journalistic contexts than in casual speech in both UK and US English.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[experience/face/overcome] + adversityadversity + [strikes/comes]in (the face/midst) of adversityVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Adversity makes strange bedfellows.”
- “Adversity is the true test of friendship.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to challenging market conditions, economic downturns, or corporate crises that a company must navigate.
Academic
Used in psychology, sociology, and literature to discuss resilience, trauma, or historical challenges faced by groups.
Everyday
Describes personal struggles, such as illness, financial trouble, or family problems.
Technical
Less common; may appear in risk management or disaster recovery contexts as a factor to be mitigated.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The team was adversed by the sudden funding cuts. (Note: 'adversed' is archaic/rare; 'adversity' has no common verb form.)
American English
- (No direct verb form in common use.)
adverb
British English
- (No direct adverb form.)
American English
- (No direct adverb form.)
adjective
British English
- She showed admirable adverse resilience. (Note: 'adverse' is the related adjective, meaning 'harmful' or 'unfavourable'.)
American English
- The adverse conditions created significant adversity for the crew.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Life can bring adversity.
- They helped each other in times of adversity.
- The family faced great adversity after the storm.
- His story is about overcoming adversity.
- In the face of economic adversity, the community came together.
- Her research focuses on how children develop resilience to adversity.
- The memoir chronicles a lifetime of political persecution and personal adversity.
- Organisational leaders must be equipped to steer their companies through periods of severe adversity.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of an ADVERSARY (an opponent) creating a difficult situation. AD-VERS-ITY is the state caused by your adversary.
Conceptual Metaphor
ADVERSITY IS A PHYSICAL OPPONENT/OBSTACLE (face adversity, overcome adversity, battle adversity).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'advertise' (рекламировать).
- Avoid directly translating as 'неприятность'—it's stronger and more prolonged.
- 'Adversity' is an abstract noun for the general concept of hardship, not a single adverse event.
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a countable noun (e.g., 'an adversity' is rare; prefer 'a piece of adversity' or use uncountably).
- Misspelling as 'adversaty' or 'adversity'.
Practice
Quiz
Which phrase best describes the core meaning of 'adversity'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily uncountable. You 'face adversity', not 'face an adversity'. However, in formal/literary contexts, it can be pluralised ('the adversities of life') to mean multiple distinct hardships.
They are close synonyms. 'Adversity' often implies an active opposing force or a test of character, and is slightly more formal. 'Hardship' is more general and can refer to simpler, more material difficulties like poverty.
The state itself is negative, but it is frequently discussed in a positive framework of overcoming it, building resilience, or finding opportunity within it (e.g., 'adversity can be a great teacher').
The related adjective is 'adverse' (e.g., adverse conditions, adverse effects). Be careful not to confuse it with 'averse' (having a strong dislike).