unlucky

[uhn-luhk-ee]

See more synonyms for unlucky on Thesaurus.com

adjective, un·luck·i·er, un·luck·i·est.

(of a person) not lucky; lacking good fortune; ill-fated.
(of an event or circumstance) inauspicious or characterized by misfortune; ominous.

Origin of unlucky

First recorded in 1520–30; un-¹ + lucky¹

Related formsun·luck·i·ly, adverbun·luck·i·ness, noun

Synonyms

See more synonyms for unlucky on Thesaurus.com

hapless, unsuccessful, unfortunate, ill-omened.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for unlucky

Contemporary Examples

At that unlucky moment, his call was being randomly screened.
A Million Ways to Die in Prison
Daniel Genis
December 8, 2014
And at the same time, I think I am unlucky when I look at how it all ended.
Vilified Bitcoin Tycoon After Losing $500 Million: My Life Is at Risk
Nathalie-Kyoko Stucky
September 17, 2014
“It was the least fortunate or unlucky place to be born female,” she said.
The Life of Lisa Gherardini del Giocondo, the (Most Likely) Real 'Mona Lisa'
Justin Jones
August 9, 2014
As unlucky as Gama was to have been hit, he was incredibly lucky that neither bullet had pierced his skull into his brain.
Easter Miracle in Brooklyn for Shooting Victim
Michael Daly
April 20, 2014
Unlucky fans and casual observers alike can still enjoy the NCAA tournament.
The March Madness Teams to Cheer If Yours Got Bounced
Ben Teitelbaum
March 16, 2014

Historical Examples

I am to be unlucky in all I do, I think, be my intentions ever so good.
Clarissa, Volume 1 (of 9)
Samuel Richardson
Many a rod, I grieve to say, was worn to the stump on that unlucky night.
Biographical Stories
Nathaniel Hawthorne
It was profusely strewed with the plunder of that unlucky fortress.
The Last of the Mohicans
James Fenimore Cooper
Still, anything was liable to happen when his unlucky star was in the ascendant.
The Black Bag
Louis Joseph Vance
And Charley, unlucky Charley, had managed to get into hot water with the college school.
The Channings
Mrs. Henry Wood

British Dictionary definitions for unlucky

unlucky

adjective

characterized by misfortune or failurean unlucky person; an unlucky chance
ill-omened; inauspiciousan unlucky date
regrettable; disappointing
British dialect causing trouble; mischievous

Derived Formsunluckily, adverbunluckiness, 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

Word Origin and History for unlucky

adj.

1520s, "marked by misfortune or failure," from un- (1) "not" + lucky. Cf. West Frisian unlokkich, Mliddle Low German unluckich. Sense of "boding ill" is recorded from 1540s; that of "having bad luck" is from 1550s; that of "bringing bad luck" is from 1580s.

unlucky

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}unlucky

Synonyms

Examples from the Web for unlucky

Contemporary Examples

At that unlucky moment, his call was being randomly screened.

And at the same time, I think I am unlucky when I look at how it all ended.

“It was the least fortunate or unlucky place to be born female,” she said.

As unlucky as Gama was to have been hit, he was incredibly lucky that neither bullet had pierced his skull into his brain.

Unlucky fans and casual observers alike can still enjoy the NCAA tournament.

Historical Examples

I am to be unlucky in all I do, I think, be my intentions ever so good.

Many a rod, I grieve to say, was worn to the stump on that unlucky night.

It was profusely strewed with the plunder of that unlucky fortress.

Still, anything was liable to happen when his unlucky star was in the ascendant.

And Charley, unlucky Charley, had managed to get into hot water with the college school.

unlucky

Word Origin and History for unlucky

adj.

Origin of unlucky