unlucky

[ uhn-luhk-ee ]
See synonyms for unlucky on Thesaurus.com
adjective,un·luck·i·er, un·luck·i·est.
  1. (of a person) not lucky; lacking good fortune; ill-fated.

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

Origin of unlucky

1
First recorded in 1520–30; un-1 + lucky1

Other words for unlucky

Other words from unlucky

  • un·luck·i·ly, adverb
  • un·luck·i·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use unlucky in a sentence

  • Upon my word, old chap, I think I am the unluckiest beggar that ever walked this earth.

    Mollie's Prince | Rosa Nouchette Carey
  • Just at that moment—the unluckiest that could have been selected—he was seized with a strong inclination to sneeze.

    Try and Trust | Horatio Alger
  • "Yes; this is the unluckiest day we have had yet," answered Jimmy.

    The Swan and Her Crew | George Christopher Davies

British Dictionary definitions for unlucky

unlucky

/ (ʌnˈlʌkɪ) /


adjective
  1. characterized by misfortune or failure: an unlucky person; an unlucky chance

  2. ill-omened; inauspicious: an unlucky date

  1. regrettable; disappointing

  2. British dialect causing trouble; mischievous

Derived forms of unlucky

  • unluckily, adverb
  • unluckiness, noun

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