unfortunate

1 of 2

adjective

un·​for·​tu·​nate
ˌən-ˈfȯrch-nət,
-ˈfȯr-chə- How to pronounce unfortunate (audio)
1
a
: not favored by fortune : unsuccessful, unlucky
an unfortunate young man
b
: marked or accompanied by or resulting in misfortune
an unfortunate decision
2
a
: infelicitous, unsuitable
an unfortunate choice of words
b
: deplorable, regrettable
an unfortunate lack of taste

unfortunate

2 of 2

noun

: an unfortunate person

Examples of unfortunate in a Sentence

Adjective She was unfortunate enough to have been chosen as an example. an unfortunate chain of events It's unfortunate that he couldn't be here for your birthday. He has an unfortunate tendency to show up late. an unfortunate choice of words Noun a group of poor unfortunates
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
But while there may be a gender factor here, there is also, nowadays, an unfortunate preoccupation with food as the most important element of a social event. Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2024 But that’s not where the tale ends for some unfortunate homeowners, as tumble dryers can be life-changing. USA TODAY, 17 Mar. 2024 Third periods have not been kind to the San Jose Sharks all season, an unfortunate trend that’s only been exasperated in the last few weeks and on this road trip. Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 15 Mar. 2024 During an interview with Jesse Tyler Ferguson on Dinner's On Me, the Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings actor recalled an unfortunate encounter with a swindling web-slinger on Hollywood Boulevard. Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 12 Mar. 2024 The science behind this unfortunate transformation is a complicated chemical reaction called oxidation. Ali Francis, Bon Appétit, 12 Mar. 2024 The Kate Middleton conspiracy theories also started up in conjunction with several other tragic events and unfortunate happenings within the royal family. Sydney Lake, Fortune, 11 Mar. 2024 But these ambitious plans to forge a new global governance regime for AI may collide with an unfortunate obstacle: cold reality. Aziz Huq, Foreign Affairs, 11 Mar. 2024 His habit costs him — and his unfortunate partners — thousands of points. Frank Stewart, The Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2024
Noun
The two unfortunates who’ve been cast as his keepers are his husband, Martin (Ben Whishaw), and Agathe (Adèle Exarchopoulos), with whom Tomas strikes up a romance. Alison Willmore, Vulture, 4 Aug. 2023 The true unfortunates, though, are the people who were injured or died in these incidents and who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Sebastian Blanco, Car and Driver, 8 July 2023 Of the remaining unfortunates, those who have dodged the plague appear likely to end up swinging from a noose — many is the tree, bridge and crumbling building that bears such strange fruit. Jessica Kiang, Variety, 18 Feb. 2023 The unfortunate would have been shipped off to a slow death among millions of other victims of Soviet purges. Sam Kiley, CNN, 30 Oct. 2021 One unfortunate fled to China, only to be arrested and sent home, whereupon he was promptly dispatched to a camp. The Economist, 13 Mar. 2021 The film's title is a shape representing the meeting point between the physical world and the one beyond; hairy, patient moths seem to hold the souls of some unfortunates, though why some people meet this fate is unclear. John Defore, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 July 2019 Our family name, Ramirez, is the same name of these unfortunates who did not make it across the river. Dp Opinion, The Denver Post, 30 June 2019 But that gentle slope has been known to cause strollers and wheelchairs to roll off as well, not to mention the intoxicated, the disoriented, wrestlers, and other unfortunates. William Finnegan, The New Yorker, 2 July 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unfortunate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1683, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unfortunate was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near unfortunate

Cite this Entry

“Unfortunate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unfortunate. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

unfortunate

1 of 2 adjective
un·​for·​tu·​nate ˌən-ˈfȯrch-(ə-)nət How to pronounce unfortunate (audio)
1
a
: not fortunate : unlucky
b
: showing, accompanied by, or resulting in misfortune
an unfortunate experience
unfortunate investments
2
a
: unsuitable, infelicitous
an unfortunate choice of words
b
: deplorable sense 1
an unfortunate lack of taste
unfortunately adverb

unfortunate

2 of 2 noun
: an unfortunate person

More from Merriam-Webster on unfortunate

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