unlucky

adjective

un·​lucky ˌən-ˈlə-kē How to pronounce unlucky (audio)
1
: marked by adversity or failure
an unlucky year
2
: likely to bring misfortune : inauspicious
an unlucky number
3
: having or meeting with misfortune
unlucky people
4
: producing dissatisfaction : regrettable
unluckiness noun

Examples of unlucky in a Sentence

She was unlucky enough to get a flat tire on the way to her job interview. Some people think that 13 is an unlucky number. He thinks it's unlucky to have a black cat cross your path.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
If their games do come in under 2.5, the xG often suggests that’s unlucky. Sam Tighe, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025 Then, after an unlucky streak, you can be tempted to up your bets to get back to even. Ryan Ermey, CNBC, 27 Mar. 2025 An arena spectacle with WWE auras is unusual for Dungeons & Dragons, the famously nerdy tabletop game of fantasy heroics and lucky (or unlucky) rolls of dice. Eric Francisco, Rolling Stone, 1 Mar. 2025 Chris Christie’s flight from Detroit landed in Newark, N.J., on Thursday and was one of the unlucky arrivals without a dedicated gate assignment. Philip Elliott, TIME, 24 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unlucky

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of unlucky was circa 1530

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Cite this Entry

“Unlucky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unlucky. Accessed 6 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

unlucky

adjective
un·​lucky ˌən-ˈlək-ē How to pronounce unlucky (audio)
ˈən-
1
: marked by bad luck or failure
an unlucky day
2
: likely to bring misfortune
an unlucky number
3
: having or meeting with misfortune
unlucky people
4
: causing distress or regret
unluckily
-ˈlək-ə-lē
adverb
unluckiness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on unlucky

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