fortunately
Americanadverb
adverb
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(sentence modifier) it is fortunate that; luckily
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in a fortunate manner
Etymology
Origin of fortunately
First recorded in 1540–60; fortunate ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )
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.
He said that weather conditions fortunately had prevented the storm from making landfall as a major Category 3.
From Barron's ● Oct. 10, 2026
“And fortunately, there was no serious injury ... We hope that the kids bounce back from this and are not too traumatized.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2026
And so I was dreading having to editorialize about this, but fortunately a pollster did it for me.
From Slate ● Jun. 16, 2026
"To represent my country in the World Cup, the biggest football event in the calendar, it was an honour for me and fortunately, because I did that, it helps me promote football boots as well."
From BBC ● Jun. 14, 2026
Rising to my full height—a spectacle in itself—I looked down upon the offending policeman and crushed him with a comment which, fortunately, he failed to understand.
From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole
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.
