star-crossed

adjective

ˈstär-ˌkrȯst How to pronounce star-crossed (audio)
Definition of star-crossednext
as in unhappy
having, prone to, or marked by bad luck Romeo and Juliet are among literature's most famous star-crossed lovers

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 star-crossed The best bet is that SpaceX proves a scientific triumph, and star-crossed as an stock. — Shawn Tully, Fortune, 8 Mar. 2026 Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie lead the series as the star-crossed, puck-smashing Shane Hollander and Ilya Rosanov. — Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Feb. 2026 Yes, Netflix's Regency-era romance drama (Season 4 Part 1 now streaming) has returned for a new year of lustful glances, hopelessly star-crossed lovers and absolutely absurd balls for a fourth go-round, this time with a story all about the second Bridgerton son, Benedict (Luke Thompson). — Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 29 Jan. 2026 The Vikings have begun a new year with yet another quarterback quandary, a familiar scenario for this star-crossed franchise. — CBS News, 6 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for star-crossed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for star-crossed
  1. unhappy
  2. unfortunate
  3. luckless
  4. disastrous
  5. hapless
  6. hard-luck
  7. doomed
Adjective
  • The Panthers were immediately unhappy, asking for a defensive pass interference.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 9 Nov. 2026
  • The family of Harry Gampel is unhappy with the name change to Gampel Pavilion.
    — Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of unhappy
Adjective
  • Before that, the Broncos were a major beneficiary of an unfortunate series of events in the third quarter.
    — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 8 Nov. 2026
  • As the state no longer holds a monopoly on the tools—nor the data—used to keep us safe, an opaque gap between the private and public sectors has opened where unfortunate, and even tragic, events can transpire.
    — David Niccolini, Forbes.com, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of unfortunate
Adjective
  • Best of all is his biggest adversary, Sonny Liston, whose luckless early years spoil a tender soul Joseph keenly brings to light.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 4 Nov. 2026
  • 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
Definition of luckless
Adjective
  • Dhillon’s success in those initiatives was middling at best — and in some areas disastrous.
    — Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Its shares are down almost 9% Thursday, extending its disastrous stretch.
    — Matthew J. Belvedere, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of disastrous
Adjective
  • Instead of forcing plot onto his amorously hapless characters, Shaw explores leitmotifs in a playful, contrapuntal fashion.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
  • 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
Definition of hapless
Adjective
  • The song is a tale of a small town drying up as businessmen buy up all the land, and Supernaw — with his distinctive twang — sang it as a hard-luck ballad.
    — Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2026
  • And, of course, there won’t be many people who want to defend someone in that position — or, indeed, listen to any hard-luck stories — now the details have been outlined in court about his motorway rampage.
    — Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of hard-luck
Adjective
  • Lula, an 81-year-old incumbent and a fixture of Brazil’s left for decades, looked doomed.
    — Elizabeth Shackelford, Chicago Tribune, 30 Oct. 2026
  • This housing raid would put roughly 150,000 homes under the government’s control — about seven percent of Berlin’s housing supply — in what would no doubt be a doomed effort to curb rising rents.
    — Editorial Board, Washington Post, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of doomed

Browse Nearby Words

starchy
star-crossed
stardom
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Cite this Entry

“Star-crossed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/star-crossed. Accessed 12 Nov. 2026.

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