fortunate

adjective

for·​tu·​nate ˈfȯr-chə-nət 

ˈfȯrch-nət

1

: bringing some good thing not foreseen as certain : auspicious

made a fortunate investment

2

: receiving some unexpected good

How fortunate we are to get such a nice room!

fortunateness noun

Synonyms of fortunate

• lucky
• happy

Choose the Right Synonym for fortunate

lucky, fortunate, happy, providential mean meeting with unforeseen success.

lucky stresses the role of chance in bringing about a favorable result.

won because of a lucky bounce

fortunate suggests being rewarded beyond what one deserves.

fortunate in my investments

happy combines the implications of lucky and fortunate with stress on being blessed.

a series of happy accidents

providential more definitely implies the help or intervention of a higher power.

a providential change in the weather

Examples of fortunate in a Sentence

How fortunate we were to find that restaurant!

We should try to help others who are less fortunate than ourselves.

Recent Examples on the Web

In the long shadows of the Pacific Northwest, the Yanks were fortunate not to trail 5-1 at the half — and their lone goal came on a Malik Tillman free kick that deflected off a Belgian defender’s head into the net. — Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 July 2026

Dorothea centers on a Sacramento woman (Davis) who ran a boarding house for the less fortunate in the 1980s, but her seemingly benevolent actions belied her sinister motives. — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 7 July 2026

While his vineyard has enough bulk wine business to keep it up and running without Canada, Heuvel, who is also a board member of the California Association of Winegrape Growers, said other vintners will not be as fortunate. — Lizzie Kane, Sacbee.com, 3 July 2026

Many who invested in those cryptocurrencies — not to mention bitcoin itself, crypto’s largest asset — have not been as fortunate in the past year and a half. — Rob Wile, NBC news, 2 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing fortunate

• consider oneself lucky/fortunate

Rhymes for fortunate

• importunate
• unfortunate

Kids Definition

fortunate

adjective

for·​tu·​nate ˈfȯrch-(ə-)nət 

1

: coming or happening by good luck : bringing good that was not expected

2

: receiving some unexpected or unearned good : lucky

fortunateness noun