fortune

1 of 2

noun

for·​tune ˈfȯr-chən 

1

a

: a very large sum of money

spent a fortune redecorating

b

: riches, wealth

a man of fortune

c

: a store of material possessions

the family fortune

2

a

: prosperity attained partly through luck : success

Fortune attended the general's campaign.

b

: luck sense 1

Our meeting here was a stroke of good fortune.

c

fortunes plural : the turns and courses of luck accompanying one's progress (as through life)

Her fortunes varied but she never gave up.

3

: destiny, fate

can tell your fortune

also : a prediction of fortune

4

often Fortune : a hypothetical force or personified power that unpredictably determines events and issues favorably or unfavorably

a country favored by fortune

5

obsolete : accident, incident

fortune

2 of 2

verb

fortuned; fortuning

transitive verb

1

obsolete : to give good or bad fortune to

2

archaic : to endow with a fortune

intransitive verb

archaic : happen, chance

Synonyms of fortune

Noun

• future
• fate
• destiny
• circumstance

Examples of fortune in a Sentence

Noun

He hoped to achieve fame and fortune.

They had the good fortune to escape injury when their car crashed.

The book follows the fortunes of two families through the years.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Mellon’s fortune Mellon founded the now-defunct railroad company Guilford Transportation Industries in 1981, but much of his wealth is from his grandfather, Andrew, who was Treasury secretary from 1921 to 1932. —Nino Paoli, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2025

That good fortune is tangible in many ways. —Sean Gentille, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025

Verb

But for now the Pirates are standing pat and will build around their ace in hopes to turn the franchises fortune around. —Hunter Mulholland, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 May 2025

Oscar fortunes aside, the sequel is off to a strong start at the box office, grossing more than $325.3 million worldwide through Dec. 3, with the holiday moviegoing season far from over. —Diane Garrett, Los Angeles Times, 11 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin fortuna; akin to Latin fort-, fors chance, luck, and perhaps to ferre to carry — more at bear

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing fortune

• a hostage to fortune
• fortune cookie
• fortune hunter
• fortune teller
• gentleman of fortune
• seek one's fortune
• small fortune
• soldier of fortune

Rhymes for fortune

• misfortune

Kids Definition

fortune

noun

for·​tune

ˈfȯr-chən

1

a

: favorable results that come partly by chance : good luck

b

: what happens to a person : good or bad luck

follows the fortunes of two families through the years

2

: what is to happen to one in the future

had my fortune told

also : a prediction of fortune

3

a

: the possession of material goods : wealth

b

: a store of material possessions : riches

the family fortune

c

: a large sum of money