as in unfortunate
having, prone to, or marked by bad luck
Romeo and Juliet are among literature's most famous star-crossed lovers
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Recent Examples of star-crossed
So ends one of the most controversial and star-crossed investigations in history.
—
Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 11 Jan. 2025
Flashback: Boeing's Starliner was star-crossed even before the inaugural crewed mission earlier this year.
—Avery Lotz, Axios, 30 Sep. 2024
Few Olympic teams in any sport have had to rebound more times or overcome adversity more often than the U.S. women’s water polo team, the most successful in the world in the pool and the most star-crossed outside it.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2024
She’s swung so far in the opposite direction from the theatricality of star-crossed and the synth-y jams of Golden Hour that these songs barely even have drums.
—Justin Curto, Vulture, 15 Mar. 2024
The attraction between the star-crossed, cross-cultural couple is electric and propulsive, lasting for years with unmitigated intensity.
—Jennifer Wilson, The New Yorker, 6 May 2024
That’s a career best for the U.S. country artist, and third top 10 appearance following 2018’s Golden Hour (No. 6) and 2021’s star-crossed (No. 10).
—Lars Brandle, Billboard, 25 Mar. 2024
Throughout 2020 and into 2021, the production seemed increasingly star-crossed.
—Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 12 Jan. 2024
From the beginning, then, El Señor Presidente has been star-crossed.
—Larry Rohter, The New York Review of Books, 4 May 2023
Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 11 Jan. 2025
Flashback: Boeing's Starliner was star-crossed even before the inaugural crewed mission earlier this year.
—Avery Lotz, Axios, 30 Sep. 2024
Few Olympic teams in any sport have had to rebound more times or overcome adversity more often than the U.S. women’s water polo team, the most successful in the world in the pool and the most star-crossed outside it.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2024
She’s swung so far in the opposite direction from the theatricality of star-crossed and the synth-y jams of Golden Hour that these songs barely even have drums.
—Justin Curto, Vulture, 15 Mar. 2024
The attraction between the star-crossed, cross-cultural couple is electric and propulsive, lasting for years with unmitigated intensity.
—Jennifer Wilson, The New Yorker, 6 May 2024
That’s a career best for the U.S. country artist, and third top 10 appearance following 2018’s Golden Hour (No. 6) and 2021’s star-crossed (No. 10).
—Lars Brandle, Billboard, 25 Mar. 2024
Throughout 2020 and into 2021, the production seemed increasingly star-crossed.
—Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 12 Jan. 2024
From the beginning, then, El Señor Presidente has been star-crossed.
—Larry Rohter, The New York Review of Books, 4 May 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for star-crossed
Adjective
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After a half-decade of unfortunate injuries and the still-strange collapse in the bubble, Leonard at last looks like his two-time Finals MVP self.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
3 May 2025
-
Responding to the precariousness of our moment, museums have reified the problem with an unfortunate watchword: relevance.—
Eric Crosby,
Artforum,
1 May 2025
Adjective
-
Kraft had strong leads among some voting groups polled, the poll showed, including Republicans, voters who disapprove of Boston’s sanctuary city status, those unhappy with Boston’s quality of life, and those prioritizing government spending/taxes.—
Grace Zokovitch,
Boston Herald,
1 May 2025
-
Sonya can be competitive about who is more unhappy.—
Jason Zinoman,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
That quickly became disastrous for both sides as officials had a very public spat with one another using harsh rhetoric in front of a slew of journalists invited to cover what was initially intended to be brief opening remarks.—
Elisabeth Buchwald,
CNN Money,
9 May 2025
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The second leg against AZ after a disastrous 1-0 defeat in Holland.—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
9 May 2025
Adjective
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The Soviet Union covered its mistake by renaming the spacecraft: instead of becoming one of the Venera missions to Venus, the hapless spacecraft was designed Kosmos, the USSR’s catchall for its spacecraft in Earth orbit.—
Kiona N. Smith,
Forbes.com,
7 May 2025
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But all that has only fortified a character who went from hapless brother-in-law to inarguably the most evolved one of the bunch.—
Mikey O'Connell,
HollywoodReporter,
20 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Ava Goodman was the hard-luck loser for West Hills (8-4-1).—
Don Norcross,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 Apr. 2025
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Pattinson plays Mickey Barnes, a hard-luck guy who has a job that kills him over and over again, getting printed out again after every death.—
Brian Truitt,
USA TODAY,
7 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Star-crossed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/star-crossed. Accessed 17 May. 2025.
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