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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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
What an unlucky season for Saquon Barkley managers — no, really!
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Theo Gremminger, The Athletic, 14 Dec. 2024
Contrary to superstition, Friday the 13th (of December) was not an unlucky day for Morat.
—Natalia Cano, Billboard, 14 Dec. 2024
This superstition deepened over time, particularly after the mass arrest of the Knights Templar on Friday, October 13th, 1307, further cementing the day’s unlucky status.
—Brandi D. Addison, Austin American-Statesman, 13 Dec. 2024
Michigan has been the luckiest state on the unlucky day, giving four winning jackpots throughout the years.
—Fernando Cervantes Jr., USA TODAY, 11 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for unlucky 
Theo Gremminger, The Athletic, 14 Dec. 2024
Contrary to superstition, Friday the 13th (of December) was not an unlucky day for Morat.
—Natalia Cano, Billboard, 14 Dec. 2024
This superstition deepened over time, particularly after the mass arrest of the Knights Templar on Friday, October 13th, 1307, further cementing the day’s unlucky status.
—Brandi D. Addison, Austin American-Statesman, 13 Dec. 2024
Michigan has been the luckiest state on the unlucky day, giving four winning jackpots throughout the years.
—Fernando Cervantes Jr., USA TODAY, 11 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for unlucky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unlucky
Adjective
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But there’s an unfortunate tendency to put the demands of the story ahead of the characters, leading to rash decisions on their part that don’t entirely track.Stephen Saito, Variety, 31 Dec. 2024
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There is a solid chance that a cure urged by AI could reflect an unfortunate AI hallucination.Lance Eliot, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The coroner’s report into the death of British TV doctor Michael Mosley has revealed further details into the tragic final moments of the popular presenter and writer on a Greek island holiday.Caroline Frost, Deadline, 22 Dec. 2024
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Recent shows have typically encouraged viewers to root for the women at their center: HBO’s House of the Dragon renders its central former friends turned sworn enemies as tragic, not malicious.Emma Stefansky, The Atlantic, 21 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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In 2018, Butler was months away from potentially becoming a free agent (as is the case now) and was unhappy with the Timberwolves (as is the case now, just with the Heat).Tim Reynolds, Los Angeles Times, 4 Jan. 2025
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That’s a sure sign coaches are unhappy with aspects of a player’s performance.Rob Rossi, The Athletic, 3 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near unlucky
Cite this Entry
“Unlucky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unlucky. Accessed 9 Jan. 2025.
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