ˌən-ˈfȯrch-nət
1
as in disastrous
bringing about ruin or misfortune
an unfortunate chain of events destroyed the business
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unhappy
having, prone to, or marked by bad luck
up to that point in her life she had been unfortunate in love
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in tragic
of a kind to cause great distress
an unfortunate choice of words that would later prove to be embarrassing for the talk show host
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 unfortunate
There’s gonna be these unfortunate incidents that come up, there’s always the risk of something like this.
—
Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 19 Feb. 2026
Morwen seems to have a particular hostility toward men of the cloth, several of whom meet unfortunate ends.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 19 Feb. 2026
That second try was almost always the best, which on one occasion created problems when the perfect acting take coincided with an unfortunate set mishap.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 19 Feb. 2026
How unfortunate for these people to misunderstand so much!
—Literary Hub, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unfortunate
Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 19 Feb. 2026
Morwen seems to have a particular hostility toward men of the cloth, several of whom meet unfortunate ends.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 19 Feb. 2026
That second try was almost always the best, which on one occasion created problems when the perfect acting take coincided with an unfortunate set mishap.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 19 Feb. 2026
How unfortunate for these people to misunderstand so much!
—Literary Hub, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unfortunate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unfortunate
Adjective
-
After a disastrous White House meeting a year ago, Zelenskyy has adopted a more practical negotiating stance, emphasizing Ukraine’s goodwill.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
22 Feb. 2026
-
Just five months later, Kipnuk was among several villages hit by disastrous storm surge and flooding when Typhoon Halong battered the remote Alaskan coast in October 2025.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
22 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Incensed, Oseguera plotted revenge in 2009 and 2010 with others who were unhappy with Milenio’s new leadership and spearheaded a deadly coup.—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg,
USA Today,
22 Feb. 2026
-
Last summer, the city also confirmed that since Crow Tow took over vehicle releases from the Police Department, no appeals hearings had been held for anyone unhappy with impounding or the prices the company charges.—
Lee Rood,
Des Moines Register,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Alper leans into the mysticism without ever coming down on one side or another, and as the narrative hurtles toward its tragic conclusion, Salvation starts to feel almost like a horror movie.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
26 Feb. 2026
-
The ring was never recovered after her tragic death.—
Emma Banks,
InStyle,
26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
American Canyon police said the rider was not licensed to operate the motorcycle and was not wearing a helmet at the time of the fatal collision.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
25 Feb. 2026
-
The shooting drew national attention, leading prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump to visit with Belt-Stubblefield’s widow and to condemn the fatal shooting.—
Noelle Phillips,
Denver Post,
24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Last year, State Farm paid $15 billion in claims to customers who suffered catastrophic losses, including about $5 billion to homeowners affected by the devastating Southern California wildfires in January 2025, Schell said.—
Robert Channick,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Instead of responding to catastrophic illness, clinicians can now recognize disease early — fundamentally changing its course.—
Jia Shen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unfortunate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unfortunate. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
