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

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star-crossed lovers

Their retelling imagines the star-crossed lovers meeting later in life, repositioning the story from a perspective of age and experience, with the title characters aged in their 40s.

From BBC ● Mar. 16, 2026

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

Lucy Gray and Corio are also star-crossed lovers like Maria and Tony but the chemistry is palpable and highly charged.

From Salon ● Nov. 28, 2023

But it was told as a beautiful fairy tale: star-crossed lovers kept apart by powerful forces.

From Slate ● Aug. 27, 2023

In Jane Austen’s novels there are star-crossed lovers who have impediments thrown in their way—by their parents, society, or their own doubts.

From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman