The meaning of UNFORTUNATE is not favored by fortune : unsuccessful, unlucky. How to use unfortunate in a sentence.

UNFORTUNATE definition: suffering from bad luck. See examples of unfortunate used in a sentence.

UNFORTUNATE definition: 1. unlucky or having bad effects: 2. (of remarks or behaviour) not suitable in a way that could…. Learn more.

These adjectives mean having or marked by bad luck: an unfortunate turn of events; a hapless victim; an ill-fated business venture; an ill-starred romance; a luckless suitor; an unlucky accident.

If you describe someone as unfortunate, you mean that something unpleasant or unlucky has happened to them. You can also describe the unpleasant things that happen to them as …

un•for•tu•nate (un fôr′ chə nit), adj. suffering from bad luck: an unfortunate person. unfavorable or inauspicious: an unfortunate beginning. regrettable or deplorable: an unfortunate remark. …

Something unfortunate is something that you wished had not happened — like that unfortunate incident that got you suspended from school. Let's not bring that up.

Dec 4, 2025 · Noun unfortunate (plural unfortunates) An unlucky person; one who has fallen into bad circumstances.

an unfortunate experience/result an unfortunate chain of events unfortunate investments It's unfortunate that he couldn't be here for your birthday.

Definition of unfortunate adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.