hard luck

Idioms and Phrases

Misfortune, adversity, as in He's had a lot of hard luck in his day . This expression is also used in the phrase hard-luck story , a tale of one's misfortune that is related in order to get sympathy (or a donation). For example, We can't ignore her hard-luck story, even if you doubt that it's true . [Second half of 1500s] Also see tough break .

Example Sentences

I probably need to be clear straight off that I am not presenting myself as any kind of hard-luck case.

From The Daily Beast

This is a woman who came out of the kind of hard-luck story that she handles so well, and built an enormous media empire.

From The Daily Beast

“With a hard luck story and a little charm, we obtained cellphones that are not registered to anyone,” it reads.

From The Daily Beast

After a hard-luck few years, the pro-wrestling pioneer is re-entering the ring with a big adult-film release.

From The Daily Beast

Tell him of fights, of men that wouldn't give up, but fought their way out of hard luck.

From Project Gutenberg

But he had hard luck, too, for another carbuncle developed at Melbourne and kept him laid up for nearly a week.

From Project Gutenberg

While gloomily grieving over his hard luck, the faint odor of rice-wine seemed borne on the breeze.

From Project Gutenberg

Besides, the Briton came out of the affair with such hard luck, that there is much sympathy for him.

From Project Gutenberg

But it can't be helped—there was nothing to be picked up abroad, after that double stroke of hard luck.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• hapless
• miserable
• tragic
• unhappy