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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unlucky
Melton won’t be there, an unlucky loser.
—
Lars Brandle, Billboard, 28 Oct. 2025
That was unlucky, but the circumstances which caused the shooting opportunity were entirely of their own making.
—Andy Naylor, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
The dukedom of York also carries a dark history, prompting speculation that the title itself may be unlucky, Vanity Fair reported.
—Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Black cats, unlucky numbers, and breaking a mirror mean seven years of bad luck.
—Kara Nesvig, Parents, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unlucky
Lars Brandle, Billboard, 28 Oct. 2025
That was unlucky, but the circumstances which caused the shooting opportunity were entirely of their own making.
—Andy Naylor, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
The dukedom of York also carries a dark history, prompting speculation that the title itself may be unlucky, Vanity Fair reported.
—Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Black cats, unlucky numbers, and breaking a mirror mean seven years of bad luck.
—Kara Nesvig, Parents, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unlucky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unlucky
Adjective
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Liverpool were competitive in the first half, and perhaps unfortunate to see Virgil van Dijk’s equaliser ruled out for interference from an offside position, but City pressed home their advantage through the brilliance of left-winger Jeremy Doku.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
10 Nov. 2025
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The story takes place at a grand country house where the guests have an unfortunate habit of dying, or nearly dying, under seemingly unrelated circumstances.—
Anna Russell,
New Yorker,
10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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In his first interview since the tragic events in May, Cacique, a Spanish nickname given to a local boss, said the turncoats hoped to receive a reward for the capture of Robert Colina, whose alias was Pantera, Spanish for panther.—
Antonio Maria Delgado,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
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Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott joined the rest of his teammates in having a tough day Thursday after learning of the tragic death of defensive lineman Marshawn Kneeland, who took his own life at the end of a police chase in Frisco.—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Pauline Collins, the exuberant British actress who inspired women — and men, too — to do something to change their unhappy lives with her Oscar-nominated and Olivier- and Tony-winning performances in Shirley Valentine, has died.—
Lisa de los Reyes,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Nov. 2025
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That distaste didn’t hurt Spanberger and her ticket, because 18% of those unhappy voters backed her anyway.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
5 Nov. 2025
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 30 Nov. 2025.
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