ill-starred
Americanadjective
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doomed to misfortune or disaster; ill-fated; unlucky.
an ill-starred enterprise.
-
disastrous.
an ill-starred marriage.
adjective
Etymology
Origin of ill-starred
First recorded in 1595–1605
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.
It was an ill-starred pairing, Keegan resigning after only eight months following differences with Ashley and Newcastle's hierarchy, including his former England player Dennis Wise, who was executive director.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
In her story of ill-starred lovers and class divisions set on the bleak moors of Yorkshire, England, Emily Brontë creates two contrasting visions of home.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 10, 2026
Obviously, this is a commercial musical and not a literary masterpiece on par with Shakespeare’s tragedy of ill-starred lovers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2025
There are portents aplenty packed into the hold of the ill-starred ship of the title in “The Last Voyage of the Demeter.”
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 10, 2023
“No, ma’am, not twins,” answered Alyce again, wondering why twin cows such as Baldred and Billfrith should be such a joy and a boon while twin babies were ill-starred and unlucky.
From "The Midwife's Apprentice" by Karen Cushman
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.
