luck

¹ American  

[luhk] / lʌk /

noun

1. the force that seems to operate for good or ill in a person's life, as in shaping circumstances, events, or opportunities.

   With my luck I'll probably get pneumonia.

2. good fortune; advantage or success, considered as the result of chance.

   He had no luck finding work.

3. a combination of circumstances, events, etc., operating by chance to bring good or ill to a person.

   She's had nothing but bad luck all year.

4. some object on which good fortune is supposed to depend.

   This rabbit's foot is my luck.

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verb phrase

1. luck out to have an instance or run of exceptionally good luck.

   He lucked out when he made a hole in one during the tournament.

2. luck into / onto to meet, acquire, become, etc., by good luck.

   She lucked into a great job.

3. luck upon to come across by chance.

   to luck upon a profitable investment.

idioms

1. in luck, lucky; fortunate.

   We were in luck, for the bakery was still open.

2. out of luck, unlucky; unfortunate.

   When it comes to getting World Series tickets, we're usually out of luck.

3. luck of the draw, the luck one has in or as if in drawing cards.

4. push one's luck, to try to make too much of an opportunity; go too far. Also crowd one's luck.

5. down on one's luck, in unfortunate circumstances; unlucky.

   She hated to see her old friend so down on her luck.

Łuck ² American  

[lootsk, wootsk] / lutsk, wutsk /

noun

1. Polish name of Lutsk.

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luck British  

/ lʌk /

noun

1. events that are beyond control and seem subject to chance; fortune

2. success or good fortune

3. something considered to bring good luck

4. having little or no good luck to the point of suffering hardships

5. informal unfortunately not

6. to attempt something that is uncertain

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luck More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing luck

• as luck would have it
• beginner's luck
• down on one's luck
• good luck
• hard luck
• in luck
• out of luck
• push one's luck
• run of luck
• take pot luck
• tough break (luck)
• try one's hand (luck)

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Etymology

Origin of luck

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English luk, from Middle Dutch luc, shortened from gelucke; cognate with German Glück

Explanation

Luck is chance or happenstance. If something happens from pure good luck, it seemingly came out of nowhere, based only on fate and not on anything you did to make it happen. If you find a fifty dollar bill on the sidewalk, you might exclaim, "What luck!" Alternately, if you lose all night at the poker table, you'll probably blame it on bad luck. In both examples, you're referring to a mysterious, unpredictable circumstance that affects your life by chance. Luck has a Middle Dutch root, luc, which is a shortened form of gheluc, "happiness or good fortune."

Example Sentences

But good luck getting any of them to admit it.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026

Revisiting what worked and what didn’t helps separate skill from luck, test underlying assumptions, and refine how future opportunities are evaluated.

From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026

And, unlike Miller, who gave credit to “a large degree of luck, and maybe some modicum of skill,” Wood saw 2020 as a sign of more to come.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

We have heard City boss Pep Guardiola and Manchester United manager Michael Carrick bemoan their luck with referees this season.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

It was luck and the persistence of a few, making the most of the science they had to go on at the time.

From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone