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, its sole 2–1 win against Colombia is better remembered for the unfortunate own goal scored by Colombian team captain Andrés Escobar.
—
Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 May 2026
However, on Wednesday, May 13, the content creator took to her Instagram Stories again to share some more unfortunate news.
—Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 14 May 2026
The unfortunate thing about that disdain is that Kennedy has the power to impose his bizarre notions on the entire country.
—Fran Moreland Johns, The Atlantic, 11 May 2026
Each of the three Petite Plume x Tkees arrivals was handcrafted in Brazil, coming to you with impressive traction to avoid unfortunate slips on the deck or stumbles on the sand.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for unfortunate
Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 May 2026
However, on Wednesday, May 13, the content creator took to her Instagram Stories again to share some more unfortunate news.
—Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 14 May 2026
The unfortunate thing about that disdain is that Kennedy has the power to impose his bizarre notions on the entire country.
—Fran Moreland Johns, The Atlantic, 11 May 2026
Each of the three Petite Plume x Tkees arrivals was handcrafted in Brazil, coming to you with impressive traction to avoid unfortunate slips on the deck or stumbles on the sand.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for unfortunate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unfortunate
Adjective
-
Too much of it can be disastrous for the local ecosystems, leading to issues like algal blooms.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
10 May 2026
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The Lakers coach couldn’t even sub fast enough before Ayton’s two-handed frustration shove of Oklahoma City guard Ajay Mitchell put a disappointing punctuation mark on a disastrous 19-second stretch for the Lakers starting center.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2026
Adjective
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Wait times, and particularly in the emergency department, wait times were skyrocketing, patient satisfaction, and everybody was just generally unhappy.—
Torie Bosch,
STAT,
9 May 2026
-
Sources have told Deadline that Fox was originally unhappy with the creative on Season 14 of the show, but collaborated with the creative team and was ultimately sated.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
8 May 2026
Adjective
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What could have easily made for an overwrought and even tragic read, however, is presented with a surprisingly light touch.—
Sheldon Pearce,
New Yorker,
15 May 2026
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The ongoing issues for Kirby Smart and his players have only increased since a tragic accident claimed the life of offensive lineman Devin Willock and recruiting staffer Chandler LeCroy following the 2022 national championship season.—
Trey Wallace OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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Two Connecticut State Police troopers have been cleared in connection with a fatal shooting in Bozrah last August after the state Inspector General concluded that the armed woman who was shot was apparently trying to commit suicide by cop.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
12 May 2026
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The star died in 2009, at age 50, of cardiac arrest due to a fatal dose of propofol and other drugs.—
Chris Murphy,
Vanity Fair,
12 May 2026
Adjective
-
In July 1997, parts of Poland, Germany and the Czech Republic were struck by catastrophic river flooding that left more than 100 people dead.—
David Faris,
TheWeek,
14 May 2026
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Blake scrambles back to prevent the catastrophic, but the shot flies over the bar.—
Franklin Leonard,
Vanity Fair,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unfortunate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unfortunate. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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