ˌən-ˈfȯrch-nət
1
as in disastrous
bringing about ruin or misfortune
an unfortunate chain of events destroyed the business
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unfortunate
However, after Buffalo revealed Thompson was a limited participant on Wednesday the team downgraded him just a day later - an unfortunate sign for his chances of playing on Sunday.
—
Andrew McCarty, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
Hurricane Melissa followed what has become an unfortunate pattern for major storms.
—Matt Nighswander, NBC news, 30 Oct. 2025
And the black and white granite countertops that once felt crisp and high-contrast have joined that unfortunate group.
—Heather Bien, Southern Living, 29 Oct. 2025
Overall, prosecutors allege the nearly three-dozen defendants cheated unfortunate players out of at least $7 million.
—Ben Brachfeld, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unfortunate
Andrew McCarty, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
Hurricane Melissa followed what has become an unfortunate pattern for major storms.
—Matt Nighswander, NBC news, 30 Oct. 2025
And the black and white granite countertops that once felt crisp and high-contrast have joined that unfortunate group.
—Heather Bien, Southern Living, 29 Oct. 2025
Overall, prosecutors allege the nearly three-dozen defendants cheated unfortunate players out of at least $7 million.
—Ben Brachfeld, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unfortunate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unfortunate
Adjective
-
The Arizona Wildcats clobbered Colorado, 52-17, marking another disastrous defeat for Coach Prime.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
2 Nov. 2025
-
Gottlieb’s team, picked last in the Horizon League preseason poll, hopes to improve on last year’s disastrous 4-28 campaign.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Pauline Collins, the exuberant British actress who inspired women — and men, too — to do something to change their unhappy lives with her Oscar-nominated and Olivier- and Tony-winning performances in Shirley Valentine, has died.—
Lisa de los Reyes,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Nov. 2025
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That distaste didn’t hurt Spanberger and her ticket, because 18% of those unhappy voters backed her anyway.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
The tragic death of the Sepulveda family patriarch calls his descendants back to Villa Sepulveda, a Spanish colonial manor in a coconut plantation; but a landslide traps the guests inside, transforming the funeral plans into a supernatural reckoning of sins.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
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Lyles trails in funding for mayoral race Donovan’s campaign seemingly got a big financial boost after the tragic death of Iryna Zarutska on the Blue Line hit national headlines in early September.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Yet a drumbeat of Mamdani’s past statements about Israel did not prove politically fatal in New York City in 2025.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
5 Nov. 2025
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The special explores theories about why the thieves targeted specific displays, who orchestrated this brazen operation and which fatal flaws in their plan ultimately led to their capture.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Drone footage showed catastrophic flooding that turned streets into rivers, submerged homes and overturned cars as Typhoon Kalmaegi, known locally as Tino, dumped more than a month’s worth of rain in only 24 hours in some areas.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
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However, this approach defeats the primary purpose of insurance, which is to protect against catastrophic costs in the event of an unexpected medical crisis.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unfortunate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unfortunate. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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