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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unlucky
The 1967 Stanley Cup for Toronto was No. 13 and that proved to be an unlucky number.
—
Allan Mitchell, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
Thankfully, these nuts don't come from unlucky animals but are actually fleshy round kernels within the seeds of the Eurale ferox flower, an aquatic plant that belongs to the water lily family.
—New Atlas, 30 Dec. 2024
Far too often over the previous three seasons, unfortunate and often unlucky things happened when Jackson threw the ball in Bateman’s direction.
—Jeff Zrebiec, The Athletic, 16 Jan. 2025
His 2022 departure for Sacramento to become Brown’s associate head coach turned out to be unlucky timing.
—Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 11 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for unlucky 
Allan Mitchell, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
Thankfully, these nuts don't come from unlucky animals but are actually fleshy round kernels within the seeds of the Eurale ferox flower, an aquatic plant that belongs to the water lily family.
—New Atlas, 30 Dec. 2024
Far too often over the previous three seasons, unfortunate and often unlucky things happened when Jackson threw the ball in Bateman’s direction.
—Jeff Zrebiec, The Athletic, 16 Jan. 2025
His 2022 departure for Sacramento to become Brown’s associate head coach turned out to be unlucky timing.
—Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 11 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for unlucky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unlucky
Adjective
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While injuries are always unfortunate, Lee’s absence should benefit a Horned Frogs team that struggled with Iowa State’s frontcourt on Sunday.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 Feb. 2025
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Over those few unfortunate seconds for Bills left guard David Edwards, Jones provided yet another vivid example of why he’s been a first team All-Pro for three years in a row.—
Dave Campbell,
Twin Cities,
3 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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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
Thesaurus Entries Near unlucky
Cite this Entry
“Unlucky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unlucky. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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