unfortunate
Other forms: unfortunates
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.
Unfortunate can also describe unlucky circumstances. A natural disaster like an earthquake or a tornado will always have unfortunate consequences. You can even use unfortunate as a noun to identify someone or something not favored by fortune — like the unfortunates whose lives were shattered by the earthquake.
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not favored by fortune; marked or accompanied by or resulting in ill fortune“an unfortunate turn of events”“an unfortunate decision”“unfortunate investments”“an unfortunate night for all concerned”synonyms:abjectmost unfortunate or miserableblack, calamitous, disastrous, fatal, fateful(of events) having extremely unfortunate or dire consequences; bringing ruinhapless, miserable, misfortunate, pathetic, piteous, pitiable, pitiful, poor, wretcheddeserving or inciting pitydoomed, ill-fated, ill-omened, ill-starred, star-crossed, unluckymarked by or promising bad fortunedowntroddenabused or oppressed by people in powerunderprivilegedlacking the rights and advantages of other members of societyunsuccessfulnot successful; having failed or having an unfavorable outcomeantonyms:fortunatehaving unexpected good fortunebetter offin a more fortunate or prosperous conditionfortuitousoccurring by happy chanceheaven-sent, miraculous, providentialpeculiarly fortunate or appropriate; as if by divine interventionluckyoccurring by chancewell-offfortunately situatedluckyhaving or bringing good fortuneprivilegedblessed with privilegessuccessfulhaving succeeded or being marked by a favorable outcome
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boding illsynonyms: inauspiciousunpromisingunlikely to bring about favorable results or enjoyment
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unsuitable or regrettable“an unfortunate choice of words”“an unfortunate speech”synonyms:infelicitousnot appropriate in application; defective
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a person who suffers misfortunesynonyms: unfortunate persontypes:abandoned personsomeone for whom hope has been abandonedamputeesomeone who has had a limb removed by amputationchokeran unfortunate person who is unable to perform effectively because of nervous tension or agitationdesperatea person who is frightened and in need of helpJobany long-suffering person who withstands affliction without despairinglanguishera person who languishesfailure, loser, nonstarter, unsuccessful persona person with a record of failing; someone who loses consistentlymaroona person who is stranded (as on an island)griever, lamenter, mourner, sorrowera person who is feeling grief (as grieving over someone who has died)nympholepta person seized by nympholepsyvictiman unfortunate person who suffers from some adverse circumstancebag ladya homeless woman who carries all her possessions with her in shopping bagsbulimica person suffering from bulimiabawlera loud weeperblubberersomeone who sniffles and weeps with loud sobscasualtysomeone injured or killed or captured or missing in a military engagementconvalescenta person who is recovering from illnessdepressivesomeone suffering psychological depressiondiabeticsomeone who has diabetesdown-and-outa person who is destitutedyspeptica person suffering from indigestionepileptica person who has a common disorder of the central nervous system characterized by fainting and seizuresflash in the pansomeone who enjoys transient success but then failsbleeder, haemophile, haemophiliac, hemophile, hemophiliacsomeone who has hemophilia and is subject to uncontrollable bleedingheretic, misbeliever, religious outcasta person who holds religious beliefs in conflict with official dogma, especially of the Roman Catholic Churchhostage, suretya prisoner who is held by one party to insure that another party will meet specified termshunted persona person who is huntedincurablea person whose disease is incurableinterneea person who is internedlepera pariah who is avoided by othersunderdogone at a disadvantage and expected to losemanic-depressivea person afflicted with manic-depressive illnessmartyrone who voluntarily suffers death as the penalty for refusing to renounce their religionmonomaniaca person suffering from monomaniamuggeea victim of a muggingmurdereea victim who is murderednarcoleptica person who has narcolepsyneurasthenica person suffering a nervous breakdownpatienta person who requires medical carepaupera person who is very poorpolitical prisonersomeone who is imprisoned because of their political viewsfair game, prey, quarry, targeta person who is the aim of an attack (especially a victim of ridicule or exploitation) by some hostile person or influencepunching baga person on whom another person vents their angerrheumatica person suffering with rheumatismsyphilitica person suffering from syphilisdrifter, floater, vagabond, vagranta wanderer who has no established residence or visible means of supportvaletudinarianweak or sickly person especially one morbidly concerned with his or her healthwailera mourner who utters long loud high-pitched criesweepera hired mourner
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Vocabulary lists containing unfortunate
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