un·for·tu·nate
ˌən-ˈfȯrch-nət,
-ˈfȯr-chə-
1
a
: not favored by fortune : unsuccessful, unlucky
an unfortunate young man
b
: marked or accompanied by or resulting in misfortune
an unfortunate decision
an unfortunate experience/result
2
a
: infelicitous, unsuitable
an unfortunate choice of words
b
: deplorable, regrettable
an unfortunate lack of taste
literary
: an unfortunate person
a group of poor unfortunates
Examples of unfortunate in a Sentence
Adjective
She was unfortunate enough to have been chosen as an example.
an unfortunate chain of events
It's unfortunate that he couldn't be here for your birthday.
He has an unfortunate tendency to show up late.
an unfortunate choice of words
Noun
a group of poor unfortunates
Recent Examples on the Web
Mike Stunson,
USA Today,
30 June 2026
They should be trained not to ask a bunch of questions about the medical condition, express doubt, comment that the timing is unfortunate or share private information with co-workers.
—
Seth Turner,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
William Finnegan,
New Yorker,
29 June 2026
That’s significant — and ironic — because Bremen were the great unfortunates within the Woltemade situation.
—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unfortunate
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Adjective
As attendees were escorted out of the Great American State Fair on Sunday because of inclement weather, guests noticed an unfortunate typo displayed on a digital billboard at the National Mall.
—
Mike Stunson,
USA Today,
30 June 2026
They should be trained not to ask a bunch of questions about the medical condition, express doubt, comment that the timing is unfortunate or share private information with co-workers.
—
Seth Turner,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
Noun
Hundreds of unfortunates—hikers, climbers, skiers, snowboarders—die in the Austrian Alps each year, but these fatalities rarely result in criminal charges.
—
William Finnegan,
New Yorker,
29 June 2026
That’s significant — and ironic — because Bremen were the great unfortunates within the Woltemade situation.
—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unfortunate
Cite this Entry
“Unfortunate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unfortunate. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unfortunate
1 of 2 adjective
un·for·tu·nate
ˌən-ˈfȯrch-(ə-)nət
1
a
: not fortunate : unlucky
b
: showing, accompanied by, or resulting in misfortune
an unfortunate experience
unfortunate investments
2
a
: unsuitable, infelicitous
an unfortunate choice of words
b
: deplorable sense 1
an unfortunate lack of taste
unfortunately
adverb
unfortunate
2 of 2 noun
: an unfortunate person
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