fortunate
Americanadjective
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having good fortune; receiving good from uncertain or unexpected sources; lucky.
a fortunate young actor who got the lead in the play.
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bringing or indicating good fortune: resulting favorably; auspicious.
She made a fortunate decision to go on to medical school.
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well-to-do; comfortable; prosperous.
a summer camp for less fortunate fourth graders.
adjective
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having good luck; lucky
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occurring by or bringing good fortune or luck; auspicious
Usage
What are other ways to say fortunate?
Someone who is fortunate has good fortune or enjoys good luck and success. How is fortunate different from happy and lucky? Find out on Thesaurus.com.
Commonly Confused
See fortuitous.
Other Word Forms
- fortunately adverb
- fortunateness noun
- quasi-fortunate adjective
- quasi-fortunately adverb
- superfortunate adjective
- superfortunately adverb
Etymology
Origin of fortunate
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English fortunat, from Latin fortūnātus “made prosperous or happy” (past participle of fortūnāre ); fortune, -ate 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.
On Earth, that appears to have happened about 4.6 billion years ago, giving our planet an unusually fortunate chemical starting point.
From Science Daily • Apr. 6, 2026
We would all be fortunate if the court were to ultimately approach the present case with that reality firmly in mind.
From Slate • Mar. 31, 2026
The most fortunate part of Bell Labs’ situation, however, was that in being attached to a monopoly it could partake in long-term thinking.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 28, 2026
Foden did deserve a measure of sympathy, however, because he was very fortunate to avoid serious injury in the aftermath of a reckless challenge from Araujo that went unpunished.
From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026
Among these people, it seemed only the fortunate had even a sheet of newspaper to sit on.
From "A Place to Belong" by Cynthia Kadohata
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.
