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Widrigkeit is a noun. In the singular, this refers to an adverse condition, a misfortune, an adversity, or a hardship.
There is rarely a situation where you will encounter this word in plural form Widrigkeiten, unless you're talking about a list of misfortunes, so for that reason we will stick to the singular.
In the singular is eine Widrigkeit can refer to anything from minor setbacks to major obstacles and trials in life.
Examples:
If you had a bad day and were hoping for a positive outcome, but ended up facing a setback or difficulty, it can be called a Widrigkeit. Example: "Despite all the Widrigkeiten he faced in his life, he never gave up on his dreams." (despite the adverse conditions, he never gave up on his dreams.)
This is also something to use when a situation or event is a setback for your overall plan or goal. Example: "The Widrigkeit of the weather forced us to cancel our planned outdoor party." (the adverse conditions of the weather forced us to cancel our outdoor party)
Note: if you were hoping for this word to mean something else, or to use it in a different context, like for example in a more positive sense, consider Vorfreude or Aufregung instead.
Related Topics: Negative Nouns, The Passive Voice