ill-fated

adjective

ˈil-ˈfā-təd How to pronounce ill-fated (audio)
Definition of ill-fatednext
as in unfortunate
having, prone to, or marked by bad luck the ill-fated trip ended in disaster for all

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 ill-fated So, where will Season 2 take us, Mayor Tom Loftis, and the rest of this wonderfully funny and spectacularly ill-fated island community? — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 11 June 2026 What the Pentagon Papers revealed is that the American government had reason to know all along that the venture was ill-fated. — Louis Menand, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026 The series then retreats to 2019 to trace the circumstances that led to these killings, building toward the inevitability of Maggie and Paul’s death and filtering the whole family through a lens of catastrophe, where every member is either ill-fated or devious. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2025 That plan proved ill-fated, however, when he got caught trying to bribe a city official. — Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 30 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for ill-fated
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ill-fated
  1. unfortunate
  2. unhappy
  3. disastrous
  4. hapless
  5. luckless
Adjective
  • The unfortunate truth is, most of them have lowered their standards in admissions and education.
    — Ian Kingsbury, Sun Sentinel, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Just ask this unfortunate Alaskan bear recently spotted with several multi-foot long tapeworms hanging out of its butt.
    — Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of unfortunate
Adjective
  • Many of the women in the packed courtroom gallery appeared unhappy when the sentences were rendered.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Andy’s view Almost 14 years into Xi Jinping’s norm-busting reign, just about everybody is unhappy with his economy.
    — Andy Browne, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of unhappy
Adjective
  • Prolonged pump stoppages could lead to a disastrous local scenario of ruptured water supply, district heating, and sewage pipes, even if electricity remains available elsewhere in the country.
    — Tatiana Mitrova, Foreign Affairs, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Yet, the Royals are sitting at home after a disastrous 69-93 campaign.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of disastrous
Adjective
  • The surprising loss to the Commanders was followed by a win over the hapless LA Chargers, then two frustrating losses to the San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos in overtime.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Fooling hapless web surfers into giving away their credentials by faking secure websites is easy, by comparison.
    — Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of hapless
Adjective
  • During these walking meditations my notebook starts to feel suspiciously similar to the luckless young climber’s selfie camera.
    — Brian Laidlaw, Longreads, 1 Sep. 2026
  • This year, the final was between Kerry, historically the sport’s most successful side, and Mayo, one of Ireland’s smaller counties by population and, in football terms, the most luckless.
    — Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 27 July 2026
Definition of luckless

Browse Nearby Words

illegitimate
ill-fated
ill-favored
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ill-fated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ill-fated. Accessed 3 Nov. 2026.

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