1
as in unfortunate
having, prone to, or marked by bad luck
the unlucky campers had rain all week I'm so unlucky I don't bother to play the lottery an unlucky throw of the dice
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tragic
of a kind to cause great distress
the settlers made the unlucky decision to cross the dangerous mountain pass in the middle of winter
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Recent Examples of unlucky
But 13 as an unlucky number doesn't show up until the 17th century, Marsh told NPR.
—
Chad Murphy, Cincinnati Enquirer, 13 Feb. 2026
For ages, many Western cultures have considered the number 13 itself to be unlucky.
—Bailey Allen, Cape Cod Times, 13 Feb. 2026
The date is considered unlucky by some due to superstitions surrounding the number 13 in Western cultures.
—Lianna Norman, Florida Times-Union, 13 Feb. 2026
Though Friday the 13th has superstitious origins as an unlucky day, the modern tradition of Friday the 13th tattoos started with Elm Street Tattoo in Dallas.
—Isa Almeida, Oklahoman, 12 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unlucky
Chad Murphy, Cincinnati Enquirer, 13 Feb. 2026
For ages, many Western cultures have considered the number 13 itself to be unlucky.
—Bailey Allen, Cape Cod Times, 13 Feb. 2026
The date is considered unlucky by some due to superstitions surrounding the number 13 in Western cultures.
—Lianna Norman, Florida Times-Union, 13 Feb. 2026
Though Friday the 13th has superstitious origins as an unlucky day, the modern tradition of Friday the 13th tattoos started with Elm Street Tattoo in Dallas.
—Isa Almeida, Oklahoman, 12 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unlucky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unlucky
Adjective
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Celta’s experienced striker Borja Iglesias equalized for the home side with his third goal in four games after 25 minutes, and strike partner Iago Aspas was unfortunate to see his shot come back off the post with two minutes remaining as both sides pushed for a winner.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 Mar. 2026
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This time round, though, an unfortunate silliness sometimes creeps in, where the film risks tipping over Shakespearean-size emotions into embarrassing bathos.—
Miriam Balanescu,
IndieWire,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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As a Port Charles police detective, Lucky endured a series of tragic storylines over the years, including his struggles with addiction and the death of his wife.—
Mekishana Pierre,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Mar. 2026
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But nine months of suffering because research for better treatments is lacking is tragic and irresponsible.—
Jason Collins,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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MacFarlane is also said to have faced personal threats from MAGA supporters unhappy with his coverage of the Justice Department.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
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Earlier this season, Marchment struggled mightily — and seemed plenty unhappy — with the Seattle Kraken, but his trade to the Blue Jackets in late December revitalized his season.—
Harman Dayal,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Vasyanovych plays Roman, a luckless director who’s out of work and trying to shoot his latest film in a country whose dwindling population is still traumatized by the war.—
Christopher Vourlias,
Variety,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unlucky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unlucky. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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