mischances
Unlucky turns events
Mischances are instances of bad luck or unfortunate accidents—the plural of mischance.
The word carries a sense of fate or happenstance rather than deliberate harm: A series of mischances delayed the expedition.
It sounds slightly literary or formal, more common in written narratives than everyday speech.
Grave misfortunes or disasters
- disastersRuinous events causing suffering
- catastrophesDisastrous events of great magnitude
- tragediesDramas with fatal endings
- afflictionsSources of suffering
hardships · tribulations · woes · sorrows · adversities · troubles · plights · ordeals
Minor unfortunate occurrences
- incidentsDistinct notable events
- crashesSudden violent impacts
- collisionsForceful contacts between objects
- wrecksDestroys completely
pileups · derailments · spills · falls · slips · blunders · fender-benders · capsizing
Things in the way
- hindrancesThings that obstruct progress
- complicationsDifficulties that emerge unexpectedly
- delaysPauses before proceeding
- disappointmentsUnmet expectations' aftermath
failures · defeats · stumbling blocks · snags · hitches · roadblocks · impediments · drawbacks
Curse bringing misfortune
- curseInvoked harm through words
- hexMalevolent incantation
- bad omenSign foretelling misfortune
- ill-fatedDestined to fail
doomed · star-crossed · ill-starred · hoodoo · inauspicious · unlucky · jinxed · cursed
calamities
Grave misfortunes or disasters
- disastersRuinous events causing suffering
- catastrophesDisastrous events of great magnitude
- tragediesDramas with fatal endings
afflictions · hardships · tribulations · woes · sorrows · adversities · troubles · plights · ordeals · sufferings
mishaps
Minor unfortunate occurrences
- incidentsDistinct notable events
- crashesSudden violent impacts
- collisionsForceful contacts between objects
wrecks · pileups · derailments · spills · falls · slips · blunders · fender-benders · capsizing · malfunctions
obstacles
Things in the way
- hindrancesThings that obstruct progress
- complicationsDifficulties that emerge unexpectedly
- delaysPauses before proceeding
disappointments · failures · defeats · stumbling blocks · snags · hitches · roadblocks · impediments · drawbacks · pitfalls
jinx
Curse bringing misfortune
ill-fated · doomed · star-crossed · ill-starred · hoodoo · inauspicious · unlucky · jinxed · cursed · evil eye
mischancesstrokes of luck
Fortunate chance occurrences
lucky breaks · blessings · windfalls · godsends · serendipities