as in sadly
by bad fortune or luck
Unfortunately, you've just missed her.
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Recent Examples of unfortunately
The ceremony coincided with Danielle Fishel's nuptials to first husband Tim Belusko, which took place one day before and unfortunately prevented Strong's former costars from attending his wedding.
—
Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
This dynamic has unfortunately intensified.
—Taylor Cassidy, Time, 15 Oct. 2025
These three statistics show how Wisconsin Badgers football is (unfortunately) performing worse than 2024, when the team failed to make a bowl game.
—Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 15 Oct. 2025
And eventually, somebody’s going to be seriously hurt, unfortunately.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unfortunately
Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
This dynamic has unfortunately intensified.
—Taylor Cassidy, Time, 15 Oct. 2025
These three statistics show how Wisconsin Badgers football is (unfortunately) performing worse than 2024, when the team failed to make a bowl game.
—Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 15 Oct. 2025
And eventually, somebody’s going to be seriously hurt, unfortunately.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unfortunately
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unfortunately
Adverb
-
This should be, but sadly will probably not be, the line that shouldn’t have been crossed.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Discovering the chemicals responsible for smoke taint is, sadly, only half the battle.—
Nicola Twilley,
New Yorker,
5 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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Their answer to having to tolerate difference is whatever means are necessary to stop liberalization, and lamentably, our Bill of Rights and governmental checks on the executive mean that taking a jack hammer to our nation’s foundation is a necessary means to a repugnant end.—
Rafael Perez,
Oc Register,
14 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unfortunately.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unfortunately. Accessed 8 Jan. 2026.
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