fortunate
FAW-chuh-niht
Fortunate (adj) means having good luck; favored by fortunate circumstances. Example: “Having a warm home and good friends, he considers himself very fortunate.”
adj
1
Having good luck; favored by fortunate circumstances.
"Having a warm home and good friends, he considers himself very fortunate."
"We were fortunate to find a parking space right outside."
"She feels fortunate to have such a supportive family."
How to use fortunate
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishLucky — enjoying good outcomes through favorable circumstances rather than effort.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
fortunate enough
consider yourself fortunate
fortunate to have
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more fortunate
- Superlative
- most fortunate
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Having a warm home and good friends, he considers himself very _____.
Etymology
From Latin fortunatus, "lucky," from fortuna, "fortune, luck."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for fortunate
See all rhymes for fortunate →Frequently asked questions
What does “fortunate” mean?
The word “fortunate” means having good luck; favored by fortunate circumstances. In plain terms, lucky — enjoying good outcomes through favorable circumstances rather than effort.
How do you pronounce “fortunate”?
“Fortunate” is pronounced FAW-chuh-niht (/ˈfɔɹ.t͡ʃə.nɪt/ in IPA).
How do you use “fortunate” in a sentence?
Here is “fortunate” used in a sentence: “We were fortunate to find a parking space right outside.”
What is another word for “fortunate”?
Words with a similar meaning to “fortunate” include successful.
What is the opposite of “fortunate”?
The opposite of “fortunate” — its antonyms — are unlucky and unfortunate.
What part of speech is “fortunate”?
“Fortunate” is an adjective.
Where does the word “fortunate” come from?
The word “fortunate” comes from Latin. From Latin fortunatus, "lucky," from fortuna, "fortune, luck.".
Is “fortunate” a common word?
“Fortunate” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
What is the difference between "fortunate" and "lucky"?
Both mean having good luck, but "fortunate" is slightly more formal and often suggests a lasting or significant benefit, while "lucky" is more casual and can apply to small or chance events. You might feel lucky to find a parking space but fortunate to have a good education.
What is the difference between "fortunate" and "fortuitous"?
"Fortunate" means lucky or favoured by good circumstances, whereas "fortuitous" strictly means happening by chance, whether the outcome is good or not. In careful usage, a fortuitous meeting is simply an accidental one, though it is increasingly used to mean a lucky accident.
What words commonly follow "fortunate"?
"Fortunate" often appears in patterns such as "fortunate enough to," "fortunate to have," and "the fortunate few." It is also common in phrases like "how fortunate" and "less fortunate."
When should you use "fortunate" instead of "successful"?
Use "fortunate" to stress the role of good luck or favourable circumstances, and "successful" to stress an achieved result, which may come from effort rather than chance. Someone can be successful through hard work yet still call themselves fortunate for the opportunities they were given.
