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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unfortunate
In 2018, reflecting unfortunate norms in worldwide sports media, female sports journalists representing global news outlets at the FIFA World Cup in Russia were physically harassed and assaulted by fans on camera.
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Gypsy Guillén Kaiser,
Fortune,
23 June 2026
Those crashes would be unfortunate but much less serious than any head-on collision.
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Ariane Lange,
Sacbee.com,
23 June 2026
In an unfortunate twist, Maekar during a battle against some of his own.
—
Skyler Trepel,
PEOPLE,
22 June 2026
What an unfortunate situation for us.
—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for unfortunate
Gypsy Guillén Kaiser,
Fortune,
23 June 2026
Those crashes would be unfortunate but much less serious than any head-on collision.
—
Ariane Lange,
Sacbee.com,
23 June 2026
In an unfortunate twist, Maekar during a battle against some of his own.
—
Skyler Trepel,
PEOPLE,
22 June 2026
What an unfortunate situation for us.
—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for unfortunate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unfortunate
Adjective
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Labour has teetered on the edge of one for weeks after those disastrous local election results, and only Burnham’s inability to run before now seems to have delayed one.
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On Monday night, David Remnick interviewed Hillary Rodham Clinton for a live taping of The New Yorker Radio Hour, where the former First Lady spoke plainly about Joe Biden and the disastrous 2024 election.
Adjective
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Isdin Melatonik If traditional retinoids have left your sensitive skin unhappy, Isdin's Melatonik Recovery Night Serum offers a gentler approach with bakuchiol.
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Brown and the Celtics have both since denied speculation that the 29-year-old second-team All-NBA selection was unhappy with his role in Boston.
Adjective
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Kara isn’t the only superhero with a tragic origin story – but unlike, say, that guy who dresses up as a bat and fights crime after the deaths of his mom and dad, Kara hits up a dive bar and plays with her dog to cope.
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Following the tragic incident, Aiden has been remembered for his kindness and intense drive.
Adjective
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The fatal attack came 16 days later.
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Detectives identified James Goodman, 39, and Devinae Mitchell, 26, both of Hercules, as suspects in the fatal shooting, police said.
Adjective
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More than half of the nearly 12 million population is experiencing crisis, emergency or catastrophic levels of hunger, the World Bank said, while social assistance programs reached fewer than one in 10 Haitians.
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America has been rushing into an artificial intelligence future without much of a plan to stop what could be catastrophic job losses.
Cite this Entry
“Unfortunate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unfortunate. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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