Vocapedia
Log inTry for Free
Log in

Looking up...

Words

  • Words of the Year
  • Recent Lookups
  • My Dictionary

Languages

  • English
  • Vietnamese
  • Japanese
  • Chinese
  • Spanish
  • French
  • Korean
  • German

Features

  • Words of the Year
  • My Collections List
  • Reviews
  • Learning Resources
  • Community Collections

Learn

  • How It Works
  • Study Guides
  • Language Tips
  • FAQ
  • Getting Started
  • For Individuals
  • For Teachers

Community

  • Forum
  • Blog
  • Help Center
  • Partnerships

About

  • About Vocapedia
  • Contact Us
  • Feedback

Legal

  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Accessibility
  • GDPR Compliance
© 2026 Vocapedia. All rights reserved.

misadventure

/ˌmɪsədˈvɛntʃər/
noun★Intermediate— unfortunate event or mishap
informal

An unfortunate or unsuccessful event, often involving some degree of mishap or misfortune.

The expedition turned into a misadventure after the team encountered unexpected storms.

The trip became a series of unfortunate events due to bad weather.

Her attempt to impress her boss with a bold presentation ended in misadventure.

Her effort to make a strong impression failed and caused problems.

💡

Often used to describe events that are humorous or mildly unfortunate rather than tragic.

Collocations

go on a misadventureto embark on an unfortunate or unsuccessful journeyend in misadventureto conclude with an unfortunate outcome

Synonyms

mishapmisfortuneunfortunate eventcalamityfiasco

Antonyms

successtriumphadventurefortuneluck

Related Phrases

adventureword
an exciting or daring experience
misfortuneword
bad luck or an unfortunate event

💡Pro Tip

Context Matters

Use 'misadventure' for events that are mildly unfortunate or humorous, not for serious disasters.

⚡Gold Rule

Avoid Overuse

Use sparingly to maintain its humorous or lighthearted tone.

📖Word Origin

From Middle French 'mesaventure', from 'mes-' (bad) + 'aventure' (adventure).

📝Usage Notes

Often used in a lighthearted or humorous context to describe minor mishaps rather than serious disasters.

Word Breakdown

mis-
bad or wrong
prefix
+
adventure
an exciting or daring experience
root
English Dictionary

Learning Progress

Track your learning journey!

• Save words to build your vocabulary

• Monitor your daily streak

• Get personalized review reminders

• See words learned statistics

Log in to access advanced features and track your progress!

Go to Dashboard →

Recent Lookups

The most recent words being looked up. Stay up to date with what language learners are exploring.