unlucky

adjective

un·​lucky ˌən-ˈlə-kē How to pronounce unlucky (audio)
1
: marked by adversity or failure
an unlucky year
2
: likely to bring misfortune : inauspicious
an unlucky number
3
: having or meeting with misfortune
unlucky people
4
: producing dissatisfaction : regrettable
unluckiness noun

Examples of unlucky in a Sentence

She was unlucky enough to get a flat tire on the way to her job interview. Some people think that 13 is an unlucky number. He thinks it's unlucky to have a black cat cross your path.
Recent Examples on the Web While the Carolinas may have been especially unlucky in recent years, the dice are also becoming loaded toward heavier rain – a trend that poses major challenges for emergency preparedness and recovery. Russ Schumacher, Discover Magazine, 8 Oct. 2024 Bachelor Number Three set the trap himself, and Sheryl was unlucky enough to be led right into it. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 1 Oct. 2024 And all this follows the spectacularly successful campaign of sabotage that took hundreds of Hezbollah fighters unlucky enough to have been issued communications devices flagged for use in operations against Israel off the battlefield. The Editors, National Review, 28 Sep. 2024 One of those hard truths, sadly, is that for some people — especially those unlucky enough to be as rich and handsome and famous as Matthew Perry — there sometimes is no help. Jason McGahan, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for unlucky 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unlucky.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of unlucky was circa 1530

Dictionary Entries Near unlucky

Cite this Entry

“Unlucky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unlucky. Accessed 3 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

unlucky

adjective
un·​lucky ˌən-ˈlək-ē How to pronounce unlucky (audio)
ˈən-
1
: marked by bad luck or failure
an unlucky day
2
: likely to bring misfortune
an unlucky number
3
: having or meeting with misfortune
unlucky people
4
: causing distress or regret
unluckily
-ˈlək-ə-lē
adverb
unluckiness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on unlucky

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