out of luck

Idioms  

1. Having bad fortune, experiencing a misfortune, as in You're out of luck if you want a copy; we just sold the last one. This expression, first recorded in 1867, assumes that good fortune is a finite quantity that one can run out of. However, it generally applies to more temporary circumstances than being down on one's luck.

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Example Sentences

Investors looking to wind down early ahead of the holidays are out of luck this year.

From Barron's

"The only industries still hiring are hospitality and healthcare. If you don't want to work at a bar or in health care, you're out of luck."

From Barron's

People who were 80 or older on Sept. 1, 2013, were out of luck -- they would never become eligible for the vaccine.

From Science Daily

If you’re waiting for Black Friday deals before buying, depending on what’s on your shopping list, you may be out of luck this year.

From MarketWatch

What Mr. Burns was driving at was this: The mouse, who had built herself a cozy nest and was no doubt feeling quite smug about it, was now flat out of luck, and that is simply the way life goes, not only for mice but for people, too.

From Literature

Related Words

• adverse
• damaging
• deplorable
• disastrous
• inappropriate
• inauspicious
• lamentable
• regrettable
• unlucky
• untoward