ILL-STARRED Synonyms: 40 Similar and Opposite Words

ill-starred

adjective

ˈil-ˈstärd

Definition of ill-starred

as in unhappy

having, prone to, or marked by bad luck an ill-starred attempt to circumnavigate the earth in a balloon

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ill-starred

Adjective

Some Democratic board members noted that voters unhappy with Lukas’ performance can express their dissatisfaction in the 2028 election.

— Alicia Fabbre, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
When the motorcycle crew was unhappy with the drugs, Hinman and Beausoleil got into a confrontation.

— Kalia Richardson, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of unhappy

Adjective

That understanding for the narrator is one tinged with mourning for the boy who endured but also the suspect boy who was always there, even before all the unfortunate happenings.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Aug. 2026
The first addresses inflammation and irritation (an unfortunate side effect of vitamin C, for some people).

— Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of unfortunate

Adjective

Boone didn’t get to watch the disastrous half-inning from the dugout, as he was ejected in the top of the sixth.

— Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 15 Aug. 2026
Despite so many past failures, Washington’s foreign policy debates are frequently still dominated by aging officials who made disastrous choices.

— Emma Ashford, Foreign Affairs, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of disastrous

Adjective

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
The one in which his tiny team of negotiators surrendered to the radicals ruling that luckless nation.

— Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 20 June 2026

Definition of luckless

Adjective

Most glaring is the disparity between the top-tier clinical protocols and the logistics, which are more hapless than flawless.

— Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 8 Aug. 2026
Despite Sarah’s flapping her cardigan in the air like a hungover color-guard girl at a homecoming parade, the hapless Irish naval men sent to save her remained beyond the bobbing waves.

— Claire Carusillo, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of hapless

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Browse Nearby Words

ills

ill-starred

ill-tempered

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“Ill-starred.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ill-starred. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of ill-starred

adjective

Example Sentences

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