1
as in unfortunate
having, prone to, or marked by bad luck
the unlucky campers had rain all week I'm so unlucky I don't bother to play the lottery an unlucky throw of the dice
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tragic
of a kind to cause great distress
the settlers made the unlucky decision to cross the dangerous mountain pass in the middle of winter
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Recent Examples of unlucky
Wharton was lucky and unlucky as a pass rusher — most of his sacks were clean-up plays, while most of his cleanest wins didn’t end in sacks.
—
Vic Tafur, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025
Other unlucky policyholders may have been dropped just months before disaster hit.
—Ron Lieber, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2025
When setbacks strike, unlucky people see confirmation that the odds are against them, while lucky people view challenges as stepping stones to future success.
—Margie Warrell, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
If a person is unlucky enough to have drug-resistant TB, the next step is costly testing to determine if their body can withstand harsh, alternative treatments.
—John Green, The Atlantic, 15 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unlucky
Vic Tafur, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025
Other unlucky policyholders may have been dropped just months before disaster hit.
—Ron Lieber, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2025
When setbacks strike, unlucky people see confirmation that the odds are against them, while lucky people view challenges as stepping stones to future success.
—Margie Warrell, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
If a person is unlucky enough to have drug-resistant TB, the next step is costly testing to determine if their body can withstand harsh, alternative treatments.
—John Green, The Atlantic, 15 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unlucky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unlucky
Adjective
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The self-deportation of a University of Florida student reveals the new reality for many immigrants — any brush with the law can set off a chain of unfortunate events.—
Clara-Sophia Daly,
Miami Herald,
10 Apr. 2025
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This ancestor of mine was born at a good time for ornate garments, but at an unfortunate time and place for tuberculosis.—
Denise Snodell,
Kansas City Star,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The woman behind the 911 call that set off the tragic chain of events leading to Young Scooter’s death on his 39th birthday is now speaking out — contradicting her own initial account of the incident.—
Amber Corrine,
VIBE.com,
3 Apr. 2025
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Thirty years after her tragic death, the legacy and memory of Selena Quintanilla-Pérez is alive and well.—
Amy Contreras,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Despite that success, Willard was unhappy with the program’s financial commitments.—
Taylor Lyons,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Mar. 2025
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If Amazon is unhappy with season 2 of Citadel and season 1 was not all the great to begin with, this idea that the series is going to launch into some popular, sprawling spy universe for the service seems in doubt.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
29 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unlucky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unlucky. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
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