English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology
FreeDict.com
adj

unfortunate

uhn-FAW-chuh-niht
adj
1
Having bad luck; suffering misfortune.
"An unfortunate series of events left them stranded overnight."
"The unfortunate family lost everything in the flood."
2
Regrettable or unsuitable.
"It was an unfortunate choice of words at his own wedding."

How to Use Unfortunate

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishUnlucky, or (more mildly) regrettable and not ideal.

Common pairings
unfortunate incident unfortunate choice it is unfortunate that

Word Forms

more unfortunate comparative, unfortunates plural, most unfortunate superlative

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “unfortunate” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

An _____ series of events left them stranded overnight.

Etymology

From un- + fortunate.

Rhymes for unfortunate

See all rhymes for unfortunate →
Definitions: FreeDict original editorial