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

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

Spanning over 150 years, this multigenerational American epic connects star-crossed lovers Tirzah and Harrison, formerly enslaved spouses whose Civil War separation sets the story in motion, to Ardelia and Oliver, a couple celebrating their engagement in 2019 New York.

From Salon

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

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

From Salon