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Showing results for hard luck. Search instead for pure luck.
Synonyms

hard luck

Idioms  

  1. Misfortune, adversity, as in He's had a lot of hard luck in his day. This expression is also used in the phrase hard-luck story, a tale of one's misfortune that is related in order to get sympathy (or a donation). For example, We can't ignore her hard-luck story, even if you doubt that it's true. [Second half of 1500s] Also see tough break.

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.

This year’s squad has also had some hard luck, with two starters missing the ACC Tournament through injury.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 15, 2026

He added that the upheaval was indicative of the hard luck of California Republicans.

From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2024

But after scoring only 59 and losing eight wickets in the last 10 overs of their own innings, England cannot put this defeat down to the conditions or any kind of hard luck.

From BBC • Dec. 12, 2023

Its fifth-place finish last season was a hard luck story, falling out of a Champions League place only on the last day.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 8, 2021

Too much hard luck can create a permanent meanness of spirit in any creature.

From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls

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.