Word family noun fortune misfortune unfortunate adjective fortunate ≠ unfortunate adverb fortunately ≠ unfortunately
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishfortunatefor‧tu‧nate /ˈfɔːtʃənət $ ˈfɔːr-/ ●●○ adjective 1 LUCKYsomeone who is fortunate has something good happen to them, or is in a good situation SYN luckyfortunate to do something I’ve been fortunate to find a career that I love. I was fortunate enough to obtain a research studentship at Stanford.fortunate in doing something She felt fortunate in being able to please herself where she lived.fortunate that I’m fortunate that I have such an understanding wife.more/less fortunate than somebody We’ve been more fortunate than a lot of farmers.► see thesaurus at lucky2 LUCKYa fortunate event is one in which something good happens by chance, especially when this saves you from trouble or danger SYN lucky By a fortunate coincidence, a passer-by heard her cries for help.3 → the less fortunateExamples from the Corpus
fortunate• David managed to escape, but the others were not so fortunate.• People have been very helpful - I'm very fortunate.• We were ever so fortunate as to recover your collection intact.• It was a fortunate coincidence that the police were passing by just then.• Some plants actually prefer a lot of shade, which is fortunate for gardeners choosing plants for gloomy corners.• The Gala youngster acknowledges how fortunate he has been in the folk who have advised him along the way.• He had been fortunate in getting the job with Joe Maitland, he had to admit.• Some children are fortunate in that their parents or teachers provide an excited audience for their ideas and plot lines.• The library media specialist is, in the midst of these dilemmas, in a unique and fortunate position.• This Christmas, I sincerely hope your hearts will go out to those less fortunate than yourselves.• You are very fortunate that I don't make you actually sit in the real sea.• It is extremely fortunate that there was no-one in the building when the bomb went off.• Others are fortunate to find supportive faculty, administrators, and fellow students.• I am fortunate to work in a school where all the children are extremely motivated.fortunate to do something• I consider myself fortunate to be housed here, fortunate to be going to college.• Another case of hard-hearted capitalists pushing aside the less fortunate to enhance their investments?• It is unusual to find documentary evidence earlier than the fifteenth century, and extremely fortunate to find actual details of buildings.• I've been fortunate to have done a lot of traveling.• He was just a very extraordinary man and I was very fortunate to have had those twelve years.• I count myself fortunate to have known him.• And if that were not enough, I was fortunate to live in one of the most beautiful towns in the state. 