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Synonyms

unlucky

American  
[uhn-luhk-ee] / ʌnˈlʌk i /

adjective

unluckier, unluckiest

  1. (of a person) not lucky; lacking good fortune; ill-fated.

  2. (of an event or circumstance) inauspicious or characterized by misfortune; ominous.

unlucky British  
/ ʌnˈlʌkɪ /

adjective

  1. characterized by misfortune or failure

    an unlucky person

    an unlucky chance

  2. ill-omened; inauspicious

    an unlucky date

  3. regrettable; disappointing

  4. dialect causing trouble; mischievous

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • unluckily adverb
  • unluckiness noun

Etymology

Origin of unlucky

First recorded in 1520–30; un- 1 + lucky 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Thirteen is meant to be an unlucky number.

From Barron's • Apr. 17, 2026

The 6-foot-7 forward hadn’t played more than 66 games in a season during his first three years in the NBA, often beset by nagging or unlucky injuries.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

He stamps his feet, whirls his arms and screams at whichever referee is unlucky enough to be within earshot.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

The meal ended quickly, and the remains of the unlucky rodent were left scattered across the cave floor.

From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026

His dog had pounced upon an unlucky creature with long thin legs.

From "Gathering Blue" by Lois Lowry

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.