flukes

plural of fluke
as in accidents
an unexpected benefit or advantage resulting from the uncertain course of events the discovery of oil on their property was just an amazing fluke

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of flukes These moments are not flukes either. Mark Carey, New York Times, 26 June 2026 Whale song, the splashing of flippers, the flashing of flukes. Julie Orringer, Travel + Leisure, 9 June 2026 That kind of overlap across two major rankings signals these aren’t flukes. Lauren Schuster, Sacbee.com, 20 Apr. 2026 From a human perspective, whales are born backwards, emerging flukes first. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 26 Mar. 2026 Who knew if these roles were flukes — one-offs, novelties — or if Jerry Adler would defy the odds stacked up against any actor, much less a sexagenarian new to the game, and continue to find work in his newfound profession. Howard Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2025 But by a series of flukes, Friedman never once auditioned for the CSO. Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flukes
Noun
  • The idea is to allow for accidents, miscommunications or misunderstandings that the participants agree should not scuttle talks.
    ABC News, ABC News, 1 July 2026
  • Small accidents, although no fault of your own, may cause this.
    Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 30 June 2026
Noun
  • Though their title chances took a hit when Xavi Simons sustained a season-ending injury this spring, the Dutch surround van Dijk with a deep group of younger teammates, including Frenkie de Jong, Denzel Dumfries and Tijjani Reijnders.
    Andrew Greif, NBC news, 30 June 2026
  • To lessen your chances of contracting the parasite, avoid consuming food or water that may be contaminated with feces, the MCHD warns.
    Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 30 June 2026
Noun
  • Perhaps the problem arose from the extravagant expectations of American life, the sense that bad luck will always be chased by good fortune and that the poor man is merely someone who has yet to strike it rich.
    Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 22 June 2026
  • Members gather on local piers to learn crabbing techniques, understand regulations and try their luck at bringing home fresh seafood.
    Loureen Ayyoub, CBS News, 22 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Flukes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flukes. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.

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