Unfortunate Meaning
/ʌnˈfɔː.t͡ʃə.nɪt/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjNot favored by fortune.
adjMarked or accompanied by or resulting in misfortune.
Sentence Examples
There was an unfortunate incident at home.
Due to a number of unfortunate causes, one-parent families are on the increase.
He was unfortunate to lose in the final round.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Antonyms:
CEFR Practice Quiz
It was really ____ that she missed the bus and arrived late for the interview.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
It was very ____ that the heavy rain started exactly when the outdoor garden party was supposed to begin today.
Word Origin & History
From un- + fortunate, doublet of infortunate.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Thus ended the life of one of the most unfortunate of small railway concerns."
— 1958 June 26, John Marshall, “The Forest of Dean Central Railway”, in Railway Magazine, page 422:
"But as the tower and towee reached the cross-roads again, another car, negligently driven, came round the corner, hit the Morris, and severed the tow rope, sending the unfortunate car back again into the shop window[…]"
— 1933, Henry Sturmey, H. Walter Staner, The Autocar:
"Of those adults who used the trains every day, about half now travel daily by bus, [...] one unfortunate is reported to be walking to and from his employment."
— 1960 February 26, “Talking of Trains: Moretonhampstead - a p.s.”, in Trains Illustrated, page 73:
"Unlike the unfortunates aboard the Triumph, we viewers are in and out of the situation in under an hour and feel like we have had quite a lot of fun in the process."
— 2026 June 24, Lucy Mangan, “Poop Cruise review – a fascinating look at a toilet disaster that still haunts passengers 12 years later”, in The Guardian:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
It was really ____ that she missed the bus and arrived late for the interview.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
It was very ____ that the heavy rain started exactly when the outdoor garden party was supposed to begin today.