misadventure

noun

mis·​ad·​ven·​ture ˌmi-səd-ˈven-chər 

: misfortune, mishap

Synonyms of misadventure

• misfortune
• tragedy

Examples of misadventure in a Sentence

His vacation turned into a series of misadventures.

a string of financial misadventures eventually left him broke

Recent Examples on the Web

The last stretch of the musical, when Ponyboy is back with his brothers stunned by all the losses that have racked up during his misadventures, drags a bit because of the lack of fine-tuning in the characterizations. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026

Most cooking misadventures can be avoided altogether by simply knowing what is in store. — Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Magazine, 26 Sep. 2026

Trump’s Arch will commemorate his overnight mugging of Venezuela and his colossal misadventures in Iran. — Letters To The Editor, Hartford Courant, 24 Sep. 2026

For all of the franchise’s misadventures, the Mets — led by ones who were there for that sad September in 2001 — get this right. — Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English mesaventure, from Anglo-French, from mesavenir to turn out badly, from mes- mis- + avenir to happen, from Latin advenire — more at adventure

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing misadventure

• death by misadventure

Rhymes for misadventure

• peradventure
• adventure
• debenture
• indenture
• bencher
• denture
• quencher
• trencher
• venture

Kids Definition

misadventure

noun

mis·​ad·​ven·​ture ˌmis-əd-ˈven-chər 

: misfortune sense 2

Legal Definition

misadventure

noun

mis·​ad·​ven·​ture ˌmi-səd-ˈven-chər 

: an accident that causes serious injury or death to a person and that does not involve negligence, wrongful purpose, or unlawful conduct