luck
Luck (noun) means the way things happen to work out, especially through chance rather than through anyone's effort or skill. Example: “With a bit of luck, we'll catch the last train.”
How to use luck
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishWhatever happens to you by chance, good or bad — though on its own the word usually leans positive.
On its own, "luck" is neutral (bad luck exists too), but "lucky" almost always means good fortune — don't assume "luck" always means good luck without context.
Word forms
lucked past tense, lucks plural, lucks singular
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
With a bit of _____, we'll catch the last train.
Etymology
Borrowed into English around the 1400s, probably as a gambling term, from Middle Dutch luc — a shortened form of gheluc, "good fortune." It has cousins across Germanic languages, including German Glück and Dutch geluk, both meaning "luck" or "happiness."
Synonyms
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Rhymes for luck
See all rhymes for luck →Frequently asked questions
What does “luck” mean?
The word “luck” means the way things happen to work out, especially through chance rather than through anyone's effort or skill. In plain terms, whatever happens to you by chance, good or bad — though on its own the word usually leans positive.
How do you pronounce “luck”?
“Luck” is pronounced luhk (/lʌk/ in IPA).
How do you use “luck” in a sentence?
Here is “luck” used in a sentence: “With a bit of luck, we'll catch the last train.”
What is another word for “luck”?
Words with a similar meaning to “luck” include adventure, accident, casualty, chance, chance-medley and fortune.
What part of speech is “luck”?
Depending on how it is used, “luck” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “luck” come from?
The word “luck” dates back to around 1400 and comes from Germanic.
Is “luck” a common word?
“Luck” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “luck” have?
“Luck” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the way things happen to work out, especially through chance rather than through anyone's effort or skill.
What is the difference between luck and chance?
Chance is pure randomness — the neutral likelihood that something happens, like a coin landing heads. Luck is how that randomness turns out for a particular person, seen as good or bad. Winning a raffle is chance at work; calling yourself lucky adds the judgement that it went your way.
What is the difference between luck and skill?
Luck is outside your control — outcomes that happen by chance, whatever you do. Skill is earned ability that reliably improves your results. In many pursuits both play a part: a poker player's skill shapes the long run, but luck decides individual hands. Skill you build; luck you can only hope for.
Can you make your own luck?
In a sense, yes. You cannot control chance, but preparation, effort, and staying open to opportunity put you in the path of good outcomes more often. The saying 'the harder I work, the luckier I get' captures this: what looks like luck is frequently readiness meeting a chance that others missed.
Is luck real?
Luck is real as a way of describing chance events that help or hurt us, but there is no evidence it is a force you can attract or store. Charms and rituals may comfort us, yet outcomes still follow probability. Believing you are lucky can boost confidence, which sometimes improves how you perform.
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Vocabulary lists that include luck: