star-crossed lovers

¹ Cultural  

1. Lovers whose relationship is doomed to fail are said to be “star-crossed” (frustrated by the stars), because those who believe in astrology claim that the stars control human destiny. William Shakespeare used the phrase to describe the lovers in Romeo and Juliet.

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star-crossed lovers ² Cultural  

1. A phrase from the play Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare; Romeo and Juliet are so described in the prologue to the play.

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“Star-crossed lovers” refers to any lovers whose affection for each other is doomed to end in tragedy.

Example Sentences

They will portray the star-crossed lovers on stage at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London from March 2026, as first reported by US outlet Deadline.

From BBC • Nov. 18, 2025

Jessica and Erik Berglund, who live in Orange just around where Freeman grew up, are star-crossed lovers in MLB terms, with Jessica bleeding Dodgers blue and Erik cheering on the Angels.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 24, 2025

Yet the comic high jinks, star-crossed lovers and long-lost relatives that pop up in his play “The Miser,” first produced in 1668, will be instantly familiar to anybody who has ever seen a Shakespeare comedy.

From New York Times • May 3, 2024

Naturally, the star-crossed lovers are torn apart by cultural and racial differences, all while singing and dancing their hearts out.

From Salon • Nov. 28, 2023

One of the announcers actually gets teary because it seems the odds will never be in our favor, we star-crossed lovers of District 12.

From "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins