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 Doing so would eliminate Buxton from playing in the All-Star Game, which would be unfortunate. — Dan Hayes, New York Times, 6 July 2026 In many ways, people like Hill are trying to become the next Joy Reid, as unfortunate as that may be. — Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 6 July 2026 After that unfortunate meal, however, the group basically gets along for the rest of the day trip. — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 2 July 2026 In my view, that is especially unfortunate because at the state level, there is bipartisan appetite to address ongoing health insurance barriers, such as by reforming prior authorization. — Miranda Yaver, The Conversation, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for unfortunate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unfortunate
  1. disastrous
  2. unhappy
  3. tragic
  4. fatal
  5. catastrophic
Adjective
  • The last time Rushing caught Ohtani, the pitcher took over pitch-calling after a disastrous second inning against the Twins last week.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
  • Since his disastrous tenure with the New York Yankees from 2016 to 2022, which included a suspension for violating MLB’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse policy, Chapman has worked to turn around his career.
    — Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 4 July 2026
Definition of disastrous
Adjective
  • Last year, researchers at Harvard University and Baylor University discovered that, on average, young adults aged between 18 to 29 are deeply unhappy.
    — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 9 July 2026
  • Licensed cannabis operators in states that have legalized marijuana tend to support the ban—they’re unhappy that hemp intoxicants face far less regulation and taxation than their products.
    — Peter Su, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of unhappy
Adjective
  • Anything tragic that happened to minorities was inevitable and necessary.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
  • Titled ‘Forever 20′, it has been placed on 97 Avenue, close to the stadium’s Main Stand, on the eve of the first anniversary of their tragic passing in a car crash in Spain last July.
    — James Pearce, New York Times, 2 July 2026
Definition of tragic
Adjective
  • Although most people recover from Legionnaires' disease with antibiotics, certain patients -- including those who are immunocompromised or who suffer from chronic lung diseases -- can develop complications that can be fatal.
    — Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 7 July 2026
  • The Grand Prairie Police Department is investigating a fatal crash in which a passenger vehicle hit a pedestrian.
    — Mary Ella Hastings July 6, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 July 2026
Definition of fatal
Adjective
  • Major personal injury firms have invested heavily in the infrastructure needed to handle large commercial vehicle and catastrophic injury cases, including in-house accident reconstruction, medical expert networks and trial presentation technology.
    — Karen Koehler, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 July 2026
  • Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket—also owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos—is out of service after a catastrophic explosion on the launch pad at Cape Canaveral in late May.
    — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 7 July 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 11 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on unfortunate

Nglish: Translation of unfortunate for Spanish Speakers

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