1
: not fortunate: such as
a
: having bad luck : unlucky
She was unfortunate enough to have been chosen as an example.
the unfortunate victim
some unfortunate person
b
: coming or happening by bad luck
an unfortunate experience/result
an unfortunate chain of events
unfortunate investments
It's unfortunate that he couldn't be here for your birthday.
2
: not appropriate or desirable
He has an unfortunate tendency to show up late.
an unfortunate choice of words
plural unfortunates
literary
: an unfortunate person
a group of poor unfortunates
Cite this Entry
“Unfortunate.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/unfortunate. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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