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 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 new rules, introduced by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES), are designed to reduce the risk of accidents and the need for expensive search and rescue (SAR) operations.
    Jack Guy, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Most accidents happen when people miss important instructions, like re-entry times or safety precautions.
    Nicole Hernandez, USA Today, 1 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Covid vaccines roughly halved the chances that a US adult would need to visit the emergency room or be hospitalized with their infections last fall and winter, one study found.
    Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Rain chances continue into Thursday, with storm activity tapering off in the evening.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 3 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Apple has not had much luck with recent changes to the user interface across its devices.
    Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • On the road leading to the Moroccan town of Fnideq, which borders Ceuta, many migrants were seen walking toward the fence, some barefoot, apparently hoping to try their luck.
    ABC News, ABC News, 1 Aug. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Flukes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flukes. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on flukes

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