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unfortunate

[ uhn-fawr-chuh-nit ]
/ ʌnˈfɔr tʃə nɪt /
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See synonyms for: unfortunate / unfortunates on Thesaurus.com

adjective
suffering from bad luck: an unfortunate person.
unfavorable or inauspicious: an unfortunate beginning.
regrettable or deplorable: an unfortunate remark.
marked by or inviting misfortune: an unfortunate development.
lamentable; sad: the unfortunate death of her parents.
noun
an unfortunate person.
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Origin of unfortunate

First recorded in 1520–30; un-1 + fortunate

OTHER WORDS FROM unfortunate

un·for·tu·nate·ly, adverbun·for·tu·nate·ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use unfortunate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for unfortunate

unfortunate
/ (ʌnˈfɔːtʃənɪt) /

adjective
causing or attended by misfortune
unlucky, unsuccessful, or unhappyan unfortunate character
regrettable or unsuitablean unfortunate speech
noun
an unlucky person

Derived forms of unfortunate

unfortunateness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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