fortunately

American  

[fawr-chuh-nit-lee] / ˈfɔr tʃə nɪt li /

adverb

1. it is fortunate that.

   The groceries cost more than I thought they would, but fortunately I had just enough money with me.

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fortunately British  

/ ˈfɔːtʃənɪtlɪ /

adverb

1. (sentence modifier) it is fortunate that; luckily

2. in a fortunate manner

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Etymology

Origin of fortunately

First recorded in 1540–60; fortunate ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )

Example Sentences

Fascist regimes of the last century were much shorter-lived, fortunately.

From Barron's • Jan. 23, 2026

"We are aware that a number of private properties have been affected, but fortunately they were unoccupied at the time," said Cyngor Gwynedd.

From BBC • Dec. 20, 2025

I would have leaped to collaborate with her on any project, but fortunately nuclear Armageddon is also a preoccupation of mine.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 9, 2025

The author relates her principal story, of the two sisters, in the present tense, while keeping historical context in the past—an idiosyncratic choice that, fortunately, doesn’t derail the book’s narrative momentum.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 21, 2025

I had trouble following everything the interviewers said, but fortunately a translator repeated everything in Dinka.

From "Lost Boy, Lost Girl" by John Bul Dau