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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
His attorney, Donna Rotunno, argued that the situation was unfortunate but that Paris had a right to defend himself.
—
Madeline Buckley, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2025
Injuries have come at unfortunate times and while Glasner says there should be no pressure after 10 months out, there will undoubtedly be some.
—Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2025
The movie was an unfortunate bomb (also a cult favorite), but Kilmer is fantastic as a rogue with a sword.
—John Devore, Rolling Stone, 2 Apr. 2025
This is especially unfortunate since Filmmaker mode shows better shadow details while Movie mode can sometimes appear muddy.
—PC Magazine, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unfortunate
Madeline Buckley, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2025
Injuries have come at unfortunate times and while Glasner says there should be no pressure after 10 months out, there will undoubtedly be some.
—Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2025
The movie was an unfortunate bomb (also a cult favorite), but Kilmer is fantastic as a rogue with a sword.
—John Devore, Rolling Stone, 2 Apr. 2025
This is especially unfortunate since Filmmaker mode shows better shadow details while Movie mode can sometimes appear muddy.
—PC Magazine, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unfortunate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unfortunate
Adjective
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If tax reform isn’t approached thoughtfully, the impact on those already facing significant challenges could be disastrous.—
Jack Salmon,
National Review,
14 Apr. 2025
-
But what could have been a disastrous situation from the jump has the looks of becoming a positive for Báez and the Tigers.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Despite his close relationship with Trump, Elon Musk is unhappy about tariffs, which stand to hurt the business empire of the world’s richest man.—
Danielle Chemtob,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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There have even been reports of police being called to deal with the rowdy behavior, not to mention some theater employees who are unhappy about the cleanup required.—
Lisa Respers France,
CNN Money,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The December fatal shooting of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson allegedly by Luigi Mangione serves as an extreme and tragic example.—
T. Christian Miller,
ProPublica,
12 Apr. 2025
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Season 3 of Yellowjackets premiered in February 2025 and continued the story of a high school girls’ soccer team whose journey to a national championship turned tragic when their plane crashed in the Canadian wilderness.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Black lung, a debilitating and often fatal condition caused by inhalation of coal and silica dust during mining, affects roughly 1 in 5 miners who have worked in the Central Appalachian mines for twenty-five years or more, according to NIOSH.—
Dr. Mark Abdelmalek,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2025
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The day of the fatal fall, Goodwin said Bass had checked on Tidus and his brother minutes prior, and then had stepped outside with the dog.—
Nathan Pilling,
Kansas City Star,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Trump has derided the outlets as being unfavorable to him and a drain on taxpayer money.—
Bloomberg News,
Boston Herald,
15 Apr. 2025
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According to a Quinnipiac poll released in mid-March, only 7 percent of American voters have a favorable opinion of Putin, while 81 percent have an unfavorable opinion of him.—
Eric Jason Martin Tanya Pérez Ted Blaisdell,
New York Times,
12 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unfortunate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unfortunate. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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