unfortunate1 adjectiveunfortunate2 noun
unfortunateun‧for‧tu‧nate1 /ʌnˈfɔːtʃənət $ -ˈfɔːr-/ ●●○ S3 adjective 
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- "It was an unfortunate set of circumstances that no one could have predicted," a spokesperson said today.
- an unfortunate accident
- an unfortunate marriage
- He has an unfortunate habit of repeating himself.
- He was unfortunate enough to lose his job just after his wife had a baby.
- It was very unfortunate that someone ended up getting hurt.
- Parents are so busy with their careers that they don't have time to have fun with their children, and that's unfortunate.
- Quarterback Brady Anderson was injured in an unfortunate collision with one of his team-mates.
- Some of the unfortunate victims were trapped inside the building for over 12 hours.
- The mix-up was the result of a set of unfortunate circumstances.
- Alas, even the most well-meaning opera buffs have an unfortunate habit of making their favorite indoor sport sound impossibly complicated.
- But his tendency to depreciate the validity of gratitude is unfortunate.
- He added that the delay was the unfortunate result of three emergency calls arriving within an hour.
- I think these hundreds of unfortunate beings have some rights which we should consider.
- It's unfortunate it had to happen.
- Setting specific financial goals before you begin your new business is a way to avoid this unfortunate situation.
THESAURUS
having bad luck, or causing bad luck: · Matthews played well and was unlucky not to score.· Thirteen is an unlucky number.· We were unlucky with the weather. It rained almost every day.
unlucky because something bad happens to you that you do not deserve. Unfortunate sounds rather formal and is used mainly in writing: · He was very unfortunate to lose his job just after his wife had a baby.· the unfortunate victims of crime
if something is bad luck or brings bad luck, it is believed to make bad things happen: · It’s supposed to be bad luck to walk under a ladder.· Crows were thought to bring bad luck.
if something is jinxed, it seems to bring bad luck to everyone who is connected with it. If a person is jinxed, a lot of bad things happen to them and they seem very unlucky: · I’m beginning to think this house is jinxed.· Some people believed the family was jinxed.
Longman Language Activatorsomething that you wish had not happened or was not true · Parents are so busy with their careers that they don't have time to have fun with their children, and that's unfortunate.unfortunate circumstances/event/situation etc · "It was an unfortunate set of circumstances that no one could have predicted," a spokesperson said today.
formal something that is regrettable makes you feel sorry because it has unpleasant results: · "This is an unfortunate and extremely regrettable incident," the minister told a newspaper.· It was decided by the authorities that the building of the dam across the valley was a "regrettable necessity".
when you wish that something had not happened or was not true use this to show that you wish something had not happened, or you wish something was not true: · There's nothing I can do about it, unfortunately.· Unfortunately, Dr Cole cannot spend as long with each patient as she would like.· We took some fantastic photos, but unfortunately the film got damaged.
unfortunately - use this to talk about events or situations that are very sad: · Sadly, this fine old theatre was destroyed by fire in 1993.· Alice was rushed to hospital, but sadly she died two hours later.
spoken say this to show that you feel disappointed or sad about something that has happened: · It's a pity about the weather - it was so nice yesterday.it's a pity/shame (that): · It's a shame you can't come with us.what a pity/shame! (=say this to show that you feel sad or sympathetic about something): · "Janet didn't get that job." "Oh, what a pity!"a real/terrible shame: · They've cut down all those beautiful trees. It's a terrible shame.
spoken use this to show that you feel upset about something sad that has happened, and you wish the situation was different: it's sad (that): · It's so sad that your father can't be here to see this.it's sad when: · It's sad when a marriage breaks up, especially after all those years.it's very/terribly sad: · The town centre is dying, and most of the shops have closed down. It's terribly sad.
especially American use this to say you are disappointed or sad that someone could not do something, or something could not happen: · "Senator Volk's out of town." "Too bad! I wanted to meet him and talk about the campaign."too bad (that): · Too bad Dickie isn't here to enjoy the fun.· It's too bad you have to leave, just when we need you most.
spoken say this when something causes disappointment, suffering or is inconvenient etc: · The wedding was lovely. It was just unfortunate about the rain. it's unfortunate (that): · It's unfortunate that you have to travel so far to work.
British spoken say this when you wish that the fact that you have just mentioned was not true: · Now I'm too old to fall in love, more's the pity.· I'm afraid this car doesn't belong to me, more's the pity.
formal use this when you consider the existing situation to be unsatisfactory: · Regrettably Jousse's work has not been translated into English.· The poor and disadvantaged will, regrettably, be the ones to suffer as a result of the new law.
when someone is unlucky in a particular situation or at a particular time · "Were you disappointed with the team's performance?" "No, not really, I think we were just unlucky."be unlucky (enough) to do something · The victims were simply unlucky enough to have been in the restaurant when the gunmen started shooting.unlucky with · We were unlucky with the weather. It rained almost every day we were on the island.
having bad luck that you do not deserve, especially when this has a serious effect on your life, health etc: · Some of the unfortunate victims were trapped inside the building for over 12 hours.be unfortunate (enough) to do something: · He was unfortunate enough to lose his job just after his wife had a baby.
formal to be unlucky on a particular occasion, especially when this results in something very unpleasant happening to you: · Bowman had the misfortune of being sent to the area where there was heavy fighting.· Women who have the misfortune to be involved with violent men often think it's their own fault.
to be unlucky, especially in a way that affects one particular part of your life: · Why do we always have such bad luck when it comes to hiring suitable workers?have bad luck with: · Our kids have had very bad luck with their teachers recently.have the bad luck to do something: · He had the bad luck to upset the boss's wife at the party.
to be prevented by bad luck from doing something that you want to do, for example going somewhere, buying something, or seeing someone: · I'm afraid you're out of luck. The director has already left for the day.· It looks like we're out of luck - all the hotels are full.
a period of time during which a lot of bad things happen to you one after the other: · Mimi's had a terrible run of bad luck this year, what with the car accident and her boyfriend leaving her.· Despite the Giant's current run of bad luck, fans are still showing up for the games.
spoken say this when a lot of bad things have happened to you that day: · I just want to go home, take a bath, and go to bed - it's been one of those days.· First I missed the bus, then I spilled coffee on myself, and now my computer is frozen - it's just not my day.
to have something bad happen to you by chance: · The driver was drunk and hit her as she was crossing the road. She was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
an unlucky situation or event an unlucky event happens simply because of bad luck, not because of bad planning, carelessness, stupidity etc: · The car in front braked suddenly and I went straight into it - it was just unlucky.it is unlucky (for somebody) that: · It was unlucky for Steve that the teacher walked in just at that moment.
unlucky - use this especially about something that causes a lot of harm or problems. Unfortunate is more formal than unlucky: · Quarterback Brady Anderson was injured in an unfortunate collision with one of his team-mates.· The mix-up was the result of a set of unfortunate circumstances.it is unfortunate (for somebody) that: · It was very unfortunate that someone ended up getting hurt.
because of bad luck - use this when something annoying, unpleasant, or dangerous happens as a result of bad luck: · I would have been here an hour ago, but unfortunately I missed the train.unfortunately for somebody: · They finally cut down those old trees on our street, but unfortunately for us one of them fell on our car.
use as bad or ill luck would have it when you are describing something unlucky that happened to you as part of a series of events, and that caused you disappointment, inconvenience etc: · We saw some really amazing things, but as ill luck would have it, I'd forgotten my camera.· As bad luck would have it, there was a thick fog the next day and our flight was delayed.
to happen as a result of bad luck, especially when something bad happens to you that is not your fault: · His medical condition isn't his fault - it's just bad luck.it is bad luck (for somebody) that: · It's bad luck for her that they decided to shut down the company right after she started working there.
if you say that there is a jinx on a plan, occasion etc or that it is jinxed , a lot of things go wrong with it without any reason and you think it is because of bad luck: · Three people have quit, we've had computer problems, and now the heating has broken down. There must be a jinx on this office.· It's pouring with rain and the flowers haven't arrived - Lynne's convinced the whole wedding is jinxed.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY
He has an unfortunate habit of repeating himself. It’s most unfortunate (=very unfortunate) that your father can’t come to the wedding. an unfortunate accidentCOLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
He has an unfortunate habit of repeating himself. It’s most unfortunate (=very unfortunate) that your father can’t come to the wedding. an unfortunate accident· By a very unfortunate coincidence, she didn’t get either of his emails.
(=that affects your life, a situation etc badly)· Divorce often has unfortunate consequences for children.
· An unfortunate error resulted in confidential information being released to the press.
(=do something that makes other people feel embarrassed or offended)· Teenage girls have the unfortunate habit of laughing too loudly.
(=involving an accident or argument)· Disciplinary action may be taken over this unfortunate incident.
· If you are the unfortunate victim of a tragic accident, this card will tell doctors that you are willing to donate your organs.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· The marriage feast was perhaps the most unfortunate that ever took place.· Completely discredited, the curé said: a most unfortunate mistake.· No reason why even the most unfortunate mortal should ever have a breath of depression.· But Leonora's approaches had a most unfortunate effect.· One most unfortunate consequence of the Counter-Reformation must be mentioned.
· Hiding from self and hiding from others interact in a particularly unfortunate way.· The harsher conditions attaching to the receipt of unemployment benefit affect all claimants, but the consequences for women are particularly unfortunate.· In these circumstances the absence of full legal rights to advocacy and representation is particularly unfortunate.
· This leaves successful unassisted parties in a rather unfortunate position. 6.· But Kant's choice of examples is rather unfortunate.· We got her from Sidney Fawcett, but she had a rather unfortunate weakness.· It was all rather unfortunate for City, whose impressive opening minutes promised much.
NOUN· Since the unfortunate accident to your father, I have had the strangest presentiments concerning you, at times.· Last Friday's unfortunate accident left the club with no alternative.· Although thousands of children are killed or injured each year in unfortunate accidents, something made this case special.· It was a very unfortunate accident.
· One most unfortunate consequence of the Counter-Reformation must be mentioned.· To choose one point of view over the other can lead to unfortunate consequences for both the humanists and politicians.· This tendency has the unfortunate consequence of making program administrators less open to evaluation and more suspicious of its value.· This has the unfortunate consequence that they are much more likely to kill their patients than to cure them.· The unfortunate consequence of this aggressive approach has been the development of hypoparathyroidism in more than 10 percent of patients undergoing surgery.· This could have had unfortunate consequences, so we started up the motor and went on towards the beach.· People will be reluctant to hold them, and that would have unfortunate consequences in the form of higher interest rates.
· I had another upset after the unfortunate experience with Chip and Tip.· He may have had an unfortunate experience with a highway engineer - Mr. Hughes Several.· Particularly after her unfortunate experience with Ben Braithwaite.· The Palace Girls had an unfortunate experience trying to reach Paris.· This is, of course, just the sort of unfortunate experience which can scar a young girl for life.
· In addition, it is an unfortunate fact that some gay men are paedophiles, however few in comparison with heterosexual men.· It is an unfortunate fact that Klein has almost no sociological theory, and that Marcuse has no therapeutic theory.· For the sexually active, this is an unfortunate fact of life.
· For Rubberneck had the unfortunate habit of hanging around outside school play-yards.· Alas, even the most well-meaning opera buffs have an unfortunate habit of making their favorite indoor sport sound impossibly complicated.· Redundancy is more than an unfortunate habit, however, and results from four factors: 1.
· This led to an unfortunate incident at Leamington Station in 1874.· This has been a very unfortunate incident, unfortunate that it even occurred.· As far as I can recall there were no unfortunate incidents involving animals in Baldersdale.· Store owners kept each other abreast of these unfortunate incidents and warned each other.· I watched the fish for several weeks before the unfortunate incident of the Great Grand Union Drought disaster.
· We heard of a case in which an unfortunate man accidentally swallowed one.· The unfortunate man had been killed before he had an opportunity to enjoy his bountiful store...· Hamilton was one of those unfortunate men who have inherited immense wealth but not a lot more.· The unfortunate man was Mr John Stevenson, a young lawyer from London.· The unfortunate man had suffered such violent panic attacks that he tried to throw himself out of the window.· This unfortunate man exemplifies many of the problems of mentally disordered offenders.· Eventually, exhaustion forced the unfortunate man to abandon the chase.
· Today, many unfortunate people have too much enforced leisure, when they would actually prefer to be occupied.· For I helped to heap further suffering on those unfortunate people.· She was one of those unfortunate people who seem to invite disaster wherever they go.
· The unfortunate result - a general bitterness towards nations of a stronger foundation.· This may have been the unfortunate result of damage from the dismantling of H-4 during the disclosure proceedings.· He added that the delay was the unfortunate result of three emergency calls arriving within an hour.· This has had an unfortunate result.· The unfortunate result can be a Change of the Month routine.· That is simply part of the unfortunate result of some of their individual restraints.· The White House initiative did perhaps have one real and unfortunate result.
· Of all the unfortunate things to happen.· The unfortunate thing is that a good part of it came from an unexpected direction.· Just one of those unfortunate things.
· The unfortunate victim was wheeled directly into the major treatment area, where he was examined by the duty medical officer.· This is a genuine surgical emergency if it occurs and the unfortunate victim has to be whisked off to hospital.· This theory also has the last unfortunate victim as a man called Coln, hence the name Colnbrook.
· One unfortunate woman who ran a discount shoe store was oblivious to the fact she was sitting on an old school goldmine.· He would have dragged the unfortunate woman back here with him.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
- Alan was lucky enough to discover a scorpion in the fruit bowl.
- And handsome David Wood, who now runs his own hairdressing salon in Melbourne, was lucky enough to date her.
- And I was lucky enough to sit in the catbird seat and watch and learn and be changed myself.
- And when I was lucky enough to enjoy some rare hot weather my feet stayed as cool as I could have expected.
- I thought I had been lucky enough to pick up a shore current that was helping me along toward the rip.
- If you are lucky enough to see one, observe it from a distance.
- Regardless of their preferences, not every couple is lucky enough to find two equal jobs in the same community.
- Some authors are lucky enough to think naturally in terms of story.
WORD FAMILYnounfortunemisfortuneunfortunateadjectivefortunate ≠ unfortunateadverbfortunately ≠ unfortunately
1someone who is unfortunate has something bad happen to them: When we entered the room, the teacher was yelling at some unfortunate student.2an unfortunate situation, condition, quality etc is one that you wish was different: an unfortunate turn of events He has an unfortunate habit of repeating himself.it is unfortunate (that) It’s unfortunate that so few people seem willing to help. It’s most unfortunate (=very unfortunate) that your father can’t come to the wedding.3happening because of bad luck: an unfortunate accident4formal unfortunate behaviour, remarks etc make people feel embarrassed or offended: an unfortunate choice of wordsunfortunate1 adjectiveunfortunate2 noun
unfortunateunfortunate2 noun [countable] literary someone who has no money, home, job etc