Synonym Chooser

How is the word fortunate different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of fortunate are happy, lucky, and providential. While all these words mean "meeting with unforeseen success," fortunate suggests being rewarded beyond one's deserts.

fortunate in my investments

How does the word happy relate to other synonyms for fortunate?

Happy combines the implications of lucky and fortunate with stress on being blessed.

a series of happy accidents

When is lucky a more appropriate choice than fortunate?

While the synonyms lucky and fortunate are close in meaning, lucky stresses the agency of chance in bringing about a favorable result.

won because of a lucky bounce

Where would providential be a reasonable alternative to fortunate?

In some situations, the words providential and fortunate are roughly equivalent. However, providential more definitely implies the help or intervention of a higher power.

a providential change in the weather

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 fortunate Beowulf was both more fortunate and less fortunate than these other Anglo-Saxon works—more fortunate in that the manuscript, although damaged, was not destroyed by the fire, less fortunate in that no transcripts had been made before 1731. Literary Hub, 10 Oct. 2025 Local shop owners hope for 'killer' Halloween sales Tariff challenges are hitting on a calendar cycle where Halloween falls on a Friday, fortunate timing, local novelty shop owners said, as a weekend holiday typically means more social gatherings — and more sales. Matthew Glowicki, Louisville Courier Journal, 9 Oct. 2025 Since that time, says Paine, even those fortunate enough to live under benevolent rule have seldom been more than one generation away from yet another dreadful monarch. Matthew Redmond, The Conversation, 9 Oct. 2025 Still, some observers have questioned whether Aschenbrenner’s early results reflect skill or fortunate timing. Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fortunate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fortunate
Adjective
  • But those local socios are Perez’s power base, and keeping them happy is a big priority for him.
    Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Its characters were prodigies who had private tutors and went to training camps for programming competitions, though their striving did not add up to a happy life.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • No surviving on lucky bounces and better health.
    Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 19 Oct. 2025
  • Even luckier, a well-rounded preppy wardrobe doesn’t have to break the bank.
    Francesca Krempa, Travel + Leisure, 19 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Fortunate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fortunate. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on fortunate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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