unfortunate

adjective

ˌən-ˈfȯrch-nət
Definition of unfortunatenext
1
as in disastrous
bringing about ruin or misfortune an unfortunate chain of events destroyed the business

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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

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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

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 The search for gold in the nearby rivers and mountains led to a huge population surge, and a series of frontier justice hangings left the town stuck with its unfortunate name until 1854, when it was renamed Placerville. — Anne Ewbank, Sacbee.com, 21 Aug. 2026 What Happens To Tomatoes In The Refrigerator The fridge changes a tomato in an unfortunate way. — Jessica Farthing, Southern Living, 21 Aug. 2026 That understanding for the narrator is one tinged with mourning for the boy who endured but also the suspect boy who was always there, even before all the unfortunate happenings. — Literary Hub, 18 Aug. 2026 The first addresses inflammation and irritation (an unfortunate side effect of vitamin C, for some people). — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 17 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unfortunate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unfortunate
  1. disastrous
  2. unhappy
  3. tragic
  4. fatal
  5. catastrophic
Adjective
  • Arjun Poudel, a health reporter in Nepal, was commuting to the offices of the Kathmandu Post, in the country’s capital, when messages started coming in about a disastrous flood in his home town, close to the border with China.
    — Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Since a disastrous debut, the rookie right-hander has allowed just two runs over his last 9 2/3 innings with 15 strikeouts.
    — Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of disastrous
Adjective
  • Garcia and fellow Democrats are mindful of what’s driving unhappy voters who face a vexing mix of inflation and weak economic growth.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Sometimes kids performing things on TV look unhappy or awkward, but this girl seems to genuinely enjoy singing while her dad plays guitar.
    — Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of unhappy
Adjective
  • That's the common denominator, to be quite honest, between the success stories and the tragic stories.
    — Kalia Richardson, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Even Treadwell, who spend thirteen summers in Alaska compiling some 100 hours of bear footage, wasn’t even remotely prepared for his encounters, evidenced by his tragic death at the hands of one of his beloved grizzlies.
    — Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of tragic
Adjective
  • Many of those thought to have been involved in Shakur’s fatal shooting have since died.
    — Lisa Respers France, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Grayson, 32, was convicted of second-degree murder in October in the fatal shooting of Massey, a 36-year-old Black woman who had reported a possible prowler outside her Springfield-area home.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of fatal
Adjective
  • As the consequences of this strategically catastrophic campaign become ever more apparent, the New Right’s clout is set to grow, having opposed the war from the start.
    — Leonard A. Schuette, Foreign Affairs, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The heavy snows purify the air and insulate the food warehouses, locking in the high humidity and stable chill necessary to nurture delicate winter koji and yeast strains without catastrophic temperature spikes.
    — Adam H. Graham, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of catastrophic

Browse Nearby Words

unforthcoming
unfortunate
unfortunately
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Cite this Entry

“Unfortunate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unfortunate. Accessed 31 Aug. 2026.

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