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
Platner told me last year, after the first media dive into his history of polarizing social media posts and unfortunate body art.
—
David Weigel, semafor.com, 3 June 2026
That unfortunate outcome does not discount from the amazing contributions and work that Scott Pelley has done for CBS and for '60 Minutes' over the course of his career.
—Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 2 June 2026
Arsenal were a penalty shootout away from lifting Europe’s premier trophy for the first time, but Gabriel was the unfortunate soul to miss their last kick.
—Art De Roché, New York Times, 2 June 2026
This pricing structure is an unfortunate symptom of our collective and morbid obsession with characters like Monroe.
—José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for unfortunate
David Weigel, semafor.com, 3 June 2026
That unfortunate outcome does not discount from the amazing contributions and work that Scott Pelley has done for CBS and for '60 Minutes' over the course of his career.
—Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 2 June 2026
Arsenal were a penalty shootout away from lifting Europe’s premier trophy for the first time, but Gabriel was the unfortunate soul to miss their last kick.
—Art De Roché, New York Times, 2 June 2026
This pricing structure is an unfortunate symptom of our collective and morbid obsession with characters like Monroe.
—José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for unfortunate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unfortunate
Adjective
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The study, published on May 31, highlights an ongoing trend toward wildfires becoming increasingly extreme, costly, and disastrous — both economically and in lives lost.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
31 May 2026
-
Leigh Ann, boy, so striking to hear the former first lady talk about that disastrous debate performance.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
31 May 2026
Adjective
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What’s leaving one unhappy child at home compared to sending five hundred people home from the theatre happy?—
Deborah Treisman,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
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Shohei Ohtani almost became the most unhappy pitcher to ever be part of throwing a no-hitter.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
28 May 2026
Adjective
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Emergency responders say the toddler's death is a tragic reminder of how dangerous the water is, especially at this time of year when peak water flows are being recorded.—
Dillon Thomas,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
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During closing arguments on Monday, an attorney for the family of the two boys called on the jury to assess hundreds of millions of dollars in damages, rejecting the defense contention that what occurred was a tragic accident.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
3 June 2026
Adjective
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Iyo Sky, Roxanne Perez, Giulia and Lash Legend squared off in a fatal four-way match with a spot in the semifinals waiting for the winner.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
2 June 2026
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Underscoring the stakes for Louisville residents is the March fatal shooting of a 28-year-old woman named Katelyn Hall, who was experiencing a mental health crisis when police gunned her down in her own apartment.—
Topher Sanders,
ProPublica,
2 June 2026
Adjective
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In 2009, 36-year-old Diane Schuler drove her minivan in the wrong direction on the Taconic State Parkway, resulting in a catastrophic collision with an SUV that killed herself, her daughter, three nieces, and three people in the other vehicle.—
James Mercadante,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 June 2026
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Anywhere some of those choices turn out to be catastrophic mistakes.—
Thomas Lake,
AJC.com,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unfortunate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unfortunate. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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