ˌən-ˈfȯrch-nət
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
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Recent Examples of unfortunate
Despite the unfortunate circumstances, Patrick said his dad would have most likely used humor to push through.
—
Christina Dugan Ramirez, Fox News, 1 Feb. 2025
In the drama, written, directed and produced by Perry, Henson plays a single mother who faces a series of unfortunate events that lead her down an unexpected path.
—Angelique Jackson, Variety, 30 Jan. 2025
Straw follows a single mother who faces a series of unfortunate events that lead her down an unexpected path.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 30 Jan. 2025
Jeep so far wants to keep pricing for those lower-spec Wagoneer EVs under wraps, though, even if the heart of the run will undoubtedly help the first electric Jeep more effectively escape from unfortunate comparisons to such stiff competition.
—Michael Teo Van Runkle, Ars Technica, 27 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for unfortunate 
Christina Dugan Ramirez, Fox News, 1 Feb. 2025
In the drama, written, directed and produced by Perry, Henson plays a single mother who faces a series of unfortunate events that lead her down an unexpected path.
—Angelique Jackson, Variety, 30 Jan. 2025
Straw follows a single mother who faces a series of unfortunate events that lead her down an unexpected path.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 30 Jan. 2025
Jeep so far wants to keep pricing for those lower-spec Wagoneer EVs under wraps, though, even if the heart of the run will undoubtedly help the first electric Jeep more effectively escape from unfortunate comparisons to such stiff competition.
—Michael Teo Van Runkle, Ars Technica, 27 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for unfortunate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unfortunate
Adjective
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Trying to implement changes in a hurry can have disastrous results.—
Stephanie Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
14 Feb. 2025
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Gloria’s decision not to pay for an independent evaluation of warehouse health risks — in a city reeling from its disastrous acquisition of an uninhabitable Ash Street office tower — wasn’t just surprising.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Laviolette puts lines in a blender Clearly unhappy with his team’s effort against Pittsburgh on Friday, Laviolette made drastic changes to his lineup.—
Peter Baugh,
The Athletic,
9 Feb. 2025
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The indie drama follows Diana (Rodriguez), an unhappy teenager who begins training at a boxing gym as a release for her frustrations, only to discover she's got a talent for the sport.—
James Mercadante,
EW.com,
8 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Whereas Bryant’s early induction was an exception because of his tragic death, Riley had been a candidate for the Hall for years.—
Mac Engel,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2025
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Viewers looking for a sharp analysis of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, or a deeper reading of the catastrophic war in Gaza and ongoing hostage crisis, may be disappointed by the movie’s insistence on focusing entirely on one single family’s tragic predicament.—
Jordan Mintzer,
The Hollywood Reporter,
14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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For Matias and Rafael the risk is that this will prove to be a fatal attraction though.—
Georg Szalai,
The Hollywood Reporter,
10 Feb. 2025
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The Traffic Investigation Unit is looking into the circumstances surrounding the fatal accident, police said.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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According to a Quinnipiac University poll, only 31 percent of Americans have a favorable view of the Democratic Party, and more than half of respondents have an unfavorable view of it.—
Elizabeth Currid-Halkett,
National Review,
16 Feb. 2025
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Despite unfavorable reviews and terrible audience scores, the 35th entry in Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe arrived slightly above projections and ranks as the biggest opening weekend of the year.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
16 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near unfortunate
Cite this Entry
“Unfortunate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unfortunate. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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