great adversity

USAGE SUMMARY

"great adversity" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to a difficult or challenging situation. For example: "In spite of the great adversity they faced, the team still managed to win the game."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

41 human-written examples

Some students have overcome great adversity.

The New York Times

During his childhood he overcame great adversity.

The New York Times

Bauman reminds us what is really important in life in the face of great adversity.

The New York Times - Sports

McCarthy, though, called the goal-line stand a great adversity play for his defense.

The New York Times - Sports

His heroic courage, grace and humor in the face of great adversity was truly inspirational.

The New York Times

"They would meet many of the nation's greatest heroes, some who have overcome great adversity," Mr. Wead wrote.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

19 human-written examples

With courage and grace, Anita Newman faced great adversities in her life but never for a moment forgot the importance of service to others.

The New York Times

After she in turn died in 1514, her son wrote "This my pious Mother ... often had the plague and many other severe and strange illnesses, and she suffered great poverty, scorn, contempt, mocking words, terrors, and great adversities.

Wikipedia

For the purposes of this study we use a composite score of adverse childhood events with higher scores indicating greater adversity (items were reverse scored as appropriate).

BMC Psychiatry

The optimists have always been the people we need at times of greatest adversity.

The Guardian - Opinion

The greatest adversity was the death of Bobbi Olson, the wife of Coach Lute Olson, from ovarian cancer on Jan . 1

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "great adversity" to emphasize the severity and impact of the challenges someone faces. It conveys a sense of significant hardship and resilience.

Common error

Avoid using "great adversity" in everyday situations. It's best reserved for scenarios involving genuinely significant hardship to maintain its impact.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "great adversity" functions as a noun phrase, where "great" modifies the noun "adversity". It typically acts as the object of a verb or the subject of a clause, describing a condition or situation, as confirmed by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Science

15%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Encyclopedias

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "great adversity" is a grammatically correct and frequently used phrase to describe situations marked by significant hardship and challenge. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and provides numerous examples across diverse contexts, including news, science, and formal writing. While versatile, it's most impactful when reserved for scenarios that genuinely warrant such a strong description. When crafting your writing, consider alternatives like "significant hardship" or "considerable difficulty" for nuanced expression. Remember to maintain awareness of register, aligning your word choice with the intended audience and purpose.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

significant hardship

Replaces "adversity" with "hardship" and "great" with "significant", both indicating substantial difficulty.

considerable difficulty

Substitutes "adversity" with "difficulty" and "great" with "considerable", emphasizing the degree of challenge.

major setback

Replaces "adversity" with "setback" and "great" with "major", focusing on a significant impediment or reversal.

severe tribulation

Uses "tribulation" to mean hardship and "severe" to indicate intensity, creating a more formal tone.

profound challenge

Replaces "adversity" with "challenge" and "great" with "profound", highlighting the depth and significance of the difficulty.

immense struggle

Substitutes "adversity" with "struggle" and "great" with "immense", emphasizing the effort required to overcome the difficulty.

extreme misfortune

Replaces "adversity" with "misfortune" and "great" with "extreme", focusing on negative circumstances.

serious affliction

Uses "affliction" to denote suffering and "serious" to emphasize the gravity of the adversity.

substantial obstacle

Replaces "adversity" with "obstacle" and "great" with "substantial", highlighting the impediment.

daunting challenge

Replaces "adversity" with "challenge" and "great" with "daunting", emphasizing the discouraging nature of the situation.

FAQs

How can I use "great adversity" in a sentence?

You can use "great adversity" to describe situations where someone faces significant challenges. For example, "Despite the great adversity, they persevered".

What are some alternatives to "great adversity"?

Consider using alternatives such as "significant hardship", "considerable difficulty", or "major setback" depending on the specific context.

Is it appropriate to use "great adversity" in formal writing?

Yes, "great adversity" is suitable for formal writing when accurately describing a situation of significant hardship or challenge. Its formal tone aligns well with academic, professional, and journalistic contexts.

What is the difference between "great adversity" and "minor inconvenience"?

"Great adversity" refers to a situation of severe hardship and significant challenges, while "minor inconvenience" describes a slight disruption or annoyance. The former implies a substantial negative impact, whereas the latter suggests a trivial issue.