Top Definitions
Quiz
Related Content
Examples
British
Idioms And Phrases

luck

[ luhk ]

/ lʌk /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for luck on Thesaurus.com

noun

the force that seems to operate for good or ill in a person's life, as in shaping circumstances, events, or opportunities: With my luck I'll probably get pneumonia.

good fortune; advantage or success, considered as the result of chance: He had no luck finding work.

a combination of circumstances, events, etc., operating by chance to bring good or ill to a person: She's had nothing but bad luck all year.

some object on which good fortune is supposed to depend: This rabbit's foot is my luck.

Verb Phrases Informal.

luck into / onto to meet, acquire, become, etc., by good luck: She lucked into a great job.

luck out, to have an instance or run of exceptionally good luck: He lucked out when he made a hole in one during the tournament.

luck upon, to come across by chance: to luck upon a profitable investment.

VIDEO FOR LUCK

What Is Your Favorite Way To Say "Tough Luck"?

There are so many things you can say when it seems like things aren’t going right. Which saying is your favorite?

MORE VIDEOS FROM DICTIONARY.COM

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about luck

down on one's luck, in unfortunate circumstances; unlucky: She hated to see her old friend so down on her luck.

in luck, lucky; fortunate: We were in luck, for the bakery was still open.

luck of the draw, the luck one has in or as if in drawing cards.

out of luck, unlucky; unfortunate: When it comes to getting World Series tickets, we're usually out of luck.

push one's luck, Informal. to try to make too much of an opportunity; go too far.Also crowd one's luck.

Origin of luck

1400–50; late Middle English luk<Middle Dutch luc, aphetic form of gelucke; cognate with G. Glück

Words nearby luck

Lucite, Lucius, Lucius I, Lucius II, Lucius III, luck, luckie, luckily, luck into, luckless, Lucknow

Other definitions for luck (2 of 2)

Łuck

[ lootsk; Polish wootsk ]

/ lutsk; Polish wutsk /

noun

Polish name of Lutsk.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use luck in a sentence

In part, it’s just bad luck that the United States is being slammed with these events back-to-back-to-back.
What’s behind August 2020’s extreme weather? Climate change and bad luck|Carolyn Gramling|August 27, 2020|Science News
The NBA draft lottery isn’t all about luck — teams tank for a reason, of course — but the bouncing pingpong balls do play a big role.
The NBA’s Unluckiest Lottery Team Finally Got A Good Bounce|Neil Paine (neil.paine@fivethirtyeight.com)|August 21, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
The next point on the luck end of the spectrum was the stock market.
The Economics of Sports Gambling (Ep. 388 Rebroadcast)|Stephen J. Dubner|August 20, 2020|Freakonomics
The most you can do is put yourself in the path of luck—but to think you can guess with certainty the actual outcome is a presumptuousness the true poker player foregoes.
The Deck Is Not Rigged: Poker and the Limits of AI|Maria Konnikova|August 7, 2020|Singularity Hub

So stats achieved before they can stabilize are mostly the result of luck.
The MLB Records* That Could Fall In A 60-Game Season|Michael Salfino|August 3, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
And good luck getting the song (and music video) to “Chandelier” out of your head.
The 10 Best Albums of 2014: Taylor Swift, Sia, Run the Jewels, and More|Marlow Stern|December 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The Horse You Came in On Saloon, Baltimore Horse-themed bars must be bad luck for famous authors.
The Bars That Made America Great|Nina Strochlic|December 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Wearing the right foot of a chicken was considered good luck.
The History of the Chicken: How This Humble Bird Saved Humanity|William O’Connor|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But good luck convincing other countries that the case against North Korea is airtight.
Cyberwar on North Korea Could Be Illegal|Shane Harris|December 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The story follows a down on his luck family man named Bill Scanlon (Wes Bentley), who takes to stealing after losing his job.
After The Fall: Introducing The Anti-Villain|Rich Goldstein|December 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
G was a gamester, who had but ill-luck; H was a Hunter, who hunted a buck.
Boys and Girls Bookshelf; a Practical Plan of Character Building, Volume I (of 17)|Various
I wouldn't go on if I were you, sir; the luck's dead against you to-night; I wouldn't go on, indeed I wouldn't.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills
Then my luck changed and I found myself under one of the very greatest teachers of his time, Professor Huxley.
The Salvaging Of Civilisation|H. G. (Herbert George) Wells
By bad luck d'Amade was away, up in the front trenches, and I could not well deliver myself to des Coigns.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I|Ian Hamilton
Well, we must try our luck with a regulation sabre; they can't well refuse it; ours is the stronger and bigger man.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills

British Dictionary definitions for luck

luck

/ (lʌk) /

noun

events that are beyond control and seem subject to chance; fortune

success or good fortune

something considered to bring good luck

down on one's luck having little or no good luck to the point of suffering hardships

no such luck informal unfortunately not

try one's luck to attempt something that is uncertain

See also luck out

Word Origin for luck

C15: from Middle Dutch luc; related to Middle High German gelücke, late Old Norse lukka, lykka

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

Other Idioms and Phrases with luck

luck

In addition to the idioms beginning with luck

luck into
luck of the devil
luck of the draw
luck out

also see:

as luck would have it
beginner's luck
down on one's luck
good luck
hard luck
in luck
out of luck
push one's luck
run of luck
take pot luck
tough break (luck)
try one's hand (luck)

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.