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

Relevance

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 Was 2025 the fluke of flukes or a harbinger of something worse to come for Andy Reid and friends? — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 14 Sep. 2026 Their odds of winning the World Series – a famously finicky task prone to small sample size flukes – were over 25%, one-in-four for one of baseball’s 30 teams. — Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026 Guests at Brookfield Zoo can identify her in Dolphin Bay by her distinctive features, including a freckle on her tongue, pink coloration on her ventral side, and smaller flukes and dorsal fins in relation to her body size. — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flukes
Noun
  • Unexpected illnesses and accidents could also require you to change your plans.
    — Liz Knueven, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The risk of death from suicide was nearly doubled, showing an 89% increase, while the risk of dying from intentional or unintentional injuries, such as motor vehicle accidents, was 55% higher, the study found.
    — Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Fans are cautious about discussing UCLA’s chances of making the College Football Playoff, despite the Bruins becoming the last undefeated team in the Big Ten and Southeastern Conference.
    — Jordan Puente, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Though that doesn’t mean the Texas head coach is ready to risk the chances of them making the CFP if Arch cannot show progress in the first half on Saturday.
    — Trey Wallace OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • And, in the case of the continent’s richest man Aliko Dangote, the conflict has proven the old adage that luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.
    — semafor.com, semafor.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Daisy Edgar-Jones and Esmé Creed-Miles star as the down-on-their-luck Dashwood sisters, who are forced to move from their fine family estate into the decidedly more modest Barton Cottage.
    — Nicholas DeRenzo, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Oct. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Flukes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flukes. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster