due to misfortune

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "due to misfortune" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to explain a situation or outcome that has occurred as a result of unfortunate circumstances. Example: "The event was canceled due to misfortune, as the weather took a turn for the worse."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Very occasionally, due to misfortune in the genetic lottery, an individual is born with a condition that pushes them towards criminal behaviour.

The Guardian - Opinion

Whatever cult status he's been living off since Brazil (1985) has dwindled drastically in the last 10 years, partly due to misfortune (his cherished Don Quixote film collapsed in bad weather and money trouble) and partly due to a string of duds (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, The Brothers Grimm, Tideland) whose only surprise was that somebody was willing to finance them in the first place.

Independent

Imagine a battle where some people are killed because of what they do and others are killed due to misfortune.

Science Magazine

For example, some of us have health issues, due to misfortune or genetics, that can't be fixed no matter how much money we throw at them.

Huffington Post

Finally, comparing lambing-related deaths with those due to misfortune in the Scottish Blackface breed showed that male lambs were less likely than females to die due to misfortune (odds ratio (OR): 0.53; 95% CI: 0.33 0.83).

BMC Veterinary Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

McQueen was soon bankrupt due to misfortunes, and the possession of the plantation turned over to John McIntosh (1773 1836) from Georgia who revived it in 1804.

Wikipedia

Beirut grew due to the misfortune of some and the neediness of others.

Huffington Post

Not long after the attack on Shimber Berris, however, the Camel Corps received orders from London "forbidding all offensive operations in Somaliland", due to the misfortunes of the Army elsewhere.

Wikipedia

The predator-prey model has been used for the description of the survival probability in dynamic energy budget models [ 17] under the assumption that that the per capita death rate has two contributions, a constant loss due to random misfortunes, and a density-dependent loss due to predation, with a Holling Type II functional form.

BMC Medical Genomics

In his final message, he wrote: "The causes of the disaster are not due to faulty organisation, but to misfortunes in all risks which had to be undertaken".

Independent

"That's not the way to get the yellow jersey due to someone else's misfortunes.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "due to misfortune", ensure the context clearly indicates an unfortunate event or circumstance is the direct cause of the situation you're describing. For clarity, briefly specify the nature of the misfortune.

Common error

Avoid using "due to misfortune" when the cause is actually negligence or incompetence. "Due to misfortune" implies an unavoidable circumstance, not a preventable error.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "due to misfortune" functions as an adverbial phrase, specifically a causal adjunct. It modifies a verb or clause by indicating the reason or cause for an action or state. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's used to explain situations arising from unfortunate circumstances.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "due to misfortune" is a grammatically correct phrase used to indicate that a situation has arisen as a consequence of unfortunate circumstances. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it serves as a causal connector. While relatively rare in overall usage, it is most commonly found in News & Media and Science contexts. When writing, it's essential to ensure that the cause is genuinely an unavoidable misfortune rather than negligence or incompetence. Consider alternative phrasings like "because of bad luck" or "owing to unfortunate circumstances" for varied contexts. It's important to note that overuse of this phrase might be interpreted as overly dramatic in some settings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

because of bad luck

Replaces "misfortune" with a more direct term for bad luck.

owing to unfortunate circumstances

Formal alternative, emphasizing the role of circumstances.

as a result of adversity

Highlights the adverse nature of the situation.

attributable to ill fate

Attributes the situation to negative fate.

caused by adverse events

Emphasizes the events leading to the situation.

stemming from hardship

Focuses on the difficult conditions that caused the situation.

on account of ill luck

Similar to "because of bad luck" but uses a slightly different phrasing.

as a consequence of unfortunate events

More verbose and formal way of stating the cause.

through a stroke of bad luck

Highlights the sudden and unexpected nature of the bad luck.

brought about by adverse fortune

Similar to "attributable to ill fate", emphasizing the role of fortune.

FAQs

What can I say instead of "due to misfortune"?

You can use alternatives like "because of bad luck", "owing to unfortunate circumstances", or "as a result of adversity" depending on the context.

How to use "due to misfortune" in a sentence?

"Due to misfortune" should be followed by the consequence or result of that misfortune. For example, "The project was delayed due to misfortune."

What is the difference between "due to misfortune" and "due to negligence"?

"Due to misfortune" implies an unavoidable or accidental cause, while "due to negligence" suggests that the cause was preventable and resulted from a lack of care.

Is it always appropriate to use "due to misfortune" in formal writing?

While grammatically correct, "due to misfortune" can sometimes sound melodramatic. Consider the tone and audience; a more neutral phrase like "because of" might be more suitable in some formal contexts.