Unfortunate — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective noun /ˌən-ˈfȯrch-nət/ un·for·tu·nate

Meaning & Definition of Unfortunate

Unfortunate (adjective)

  1. not favored by fortune, unsuccessful, unlucky
  2. marked or accompanied by or resulting in misfortune
  3. infelicitous, unsuitable

Unfortunate (noun)

  1. an unfortunate person

Unfortunate (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. bringing about ruin or misfortune

    "an unfortunate chain of events destroyed the business"

    similar: calamitous, cataclysmal, catastrophic, damning, destructive, disastrous, fatal, fateful, ruinous
    related: apocalyptic, hapless, ill-fated, ill-starred, luckless, adverse, baleful, baneful, damaging, deleterious, detrimental, evil, harmful, hurtful, ill, injurious, noxious, pernicious, prejudicial
    near: fluky, fortuitous, fortunate, happy, lucky, providential, auspicious, bright, encouraging, fair, golden, heartening, hopeful, optimistic, promising, propitious, rose-colored, rosy, upbeat

  2. having, prone to, or marked by bad luck

    "up to that point in her life she had been unfortunate in love"

    similar: hapless, hard-luck, ill-fated, ill-starred, jinxed, luckless, snakebit, star-crossed, unhappy, unlucky
    related: adverse, ill, inauspicious, unfavorable, unpromising, untoward, calamitous, catastrophic, disastrous, accursed, damned, doomed, tragic
    opposite: fortunate, happy, lucky
    near: blessed, favored, gifted, privileged, auspicious, fair, favorable, golden, promising, propitious

  3. of a kind to cause great distress

    "an unfortunate choice of words that would later prove to be embarrassing for the talk show host"

    similar: deplorable, distressful, distressing, grievous, heartbreaking, heartrending, lamentable, regrettable, tragic, unlucky, woeful
    related: troublesome, vexatious, affecting, doleful, moving, piteous, poignant, ruthful, touching, awful, dire, dreadful, fearful, severe, terrible, alarming, disturbing, perturbing, traumatic, unsettling, crushing, excruciating, harrowing, horrible, horrifying, intolerable, overwhelming, shocking, sickening, unbearable, miserable, pitiful, sad, wretched, calamitous, disastrous, painful, raging, sharp
    near: gratifying, pleasing, rewarding, satisfying, comforting, encouraging, heartening, cheering, heartwarming, inspiring, fortunate, happy, lucky

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Unfortunate

The most common words with a similar meaning to Unfortunate:

calamitous, cataclysmal, catastrophic, damning, destructive, disastrous, fatal, fateful, ruinous, hapless, hard-luck, ill-fated, ill-starred, jinxed, luckless, snakebit, star-crossed, unhappy, unlucky, deplorable, distressful, distressing, grievous, heartbreaking, heartrending, lamentable, regrettable, tragic, woeful

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Unfortunate

Words with the opposite meaning of Unfortunate:

fortunate, happy, lucky

Related Words for Unfortunate

apocalyptic, adverse, baleful, baneful, damaging, deleterious, detrimental, evil, harmful, hurtful, ill, injurious, noxious, pernicious, prejudicial, inauspicious, unfavorable, unpromising, untoward, accursed, damned, doomed, troublesome, vexatious, affecting, doleful, moving, piteous, poignant, ruthful

Near Antonyms of Unfortunate

fluky, fortuitous, providential, auspicious, bright, encouraging, fair, golden, heartening, hopeful, optimistic, promising, propitious, rose-colored, rosy, upbeat, blessed, favored, gifted, privileged, favorable, gratifying, pleasing, rewarding, satisfying, comforting, cheering, heartwarming, inspiring

Origin & Etymology of Unfortunate

First known use: 15th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Unfortunate

Frequently Asked Questions about Unfortunate

What does "Unfortunate" mean?

"Unfortunate" means not favored by fortune, unsuccessful, unlucky. As an an adjective and a noun, it is defined as: not favored by fortune, unsuccessful, unlucky. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Unfortunate"?

Other words for "Unfortunate" include calamitous, cataclysmal, catastrophic, damning, destructive, disastrous, fatal and fateful. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Unfortunate" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Unfortunate"?

There are 88 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Unfortunate". Common alternatives include calamitous, cataclysmal, catastrophic, damning, destructive, disastrous, fatal, fateful, ruinous and hapless.

What is the opposite of "Unfortunate"?

Antonyms of "Unfortunate" include fortunate, happy and lucky. Near antonyms include fluky, fortuitous, providential and auspicious.

How do you use "Unfortunate" in a sentence?

Examples of "Unfortunate" in a sentence: "an unfortunate chain of events destroyed the business"; "up to that point in her life she had been unfortunate in love"; "an unfortunate choice of words that would later prove to be embarrassing for the talk show host".

Is "Unfortunate" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Unfortunate" can be used as an adjective and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Unfortunate" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Unfortunate" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+.

How do you pronounce "Unfortunate"?

"Unfortunate" is pronounced /ˌən-ˈfȯrch-nət/ and divided into syllables as un·for·tu·nate.