Word family noun fortune misfortune unfortunate adjective fortunate ≠ unfortunate adverb fortunately ≠ unfortunately
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishunfortunateun‧for‧tu‧nate1 /ʌnˈfɔːtʃənət $ -ˈfɔːr-/ ●●○ S3 adjective 1 someone who is unfortunate has something bad happen to them When we entered the room, the teacher was yelling at some unfortunate student.2 PITY/IT'S A PITYan 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.3 UNLUCKYhappening because of bad luck an unfortunate accident4 formalOFFEND unfortunate behaviour, remarks etc make people feel embarrassed or offended an unfortunate choice of wordsExamples from the Corpus
unfortunate• But his tendency to depreciate the validity of gratitude is unfortunate.• Parents are so busy with their careers that they don't have time to have fun with their children, and that's unfortunate.• an unfortunate accident• I think these hundreds of unfortunate beings have some rights which we should consider.• The mix-up was the result of a set of unfortunate circumstances.• Quarterback Brady Anderson was injured in an unfortunate collision with one of his team-mates.• He was unfortunate enough to lose his job just after his wife had a baby.• Alas, even the most well-meaning opera buffs have an unfortunate habit of making their favorite indoor sport sound impossibly complicated.• He has an unfortunate habit of repeating himself.• It's unfortunate it had to happen.• an unfortunate marriage• He added that the delay was the unfortunate result of three emergency calls arriving within an hour.• "It was an unfortunate set of circumstances that no one could have predicted, " a spokesperson said today.• Setting specific financial goals before you begin your new business is a way to avoid this unfortunate situation.• It was very unfortunate that someone ended up getting hurt.• Some of the unfortunate victims were trapped inside the building for over 12 hours.most unfortunate• One most unfortunate consequence of the Counter-Reformation must be mentioned.• But Leonora's approaches had a most unfortunate effect.• But he did so in the most unfortunate manner.• Completely discredited, the curé said: a most unfortunate mistake.• No reason why even the most unfortunate mortal should ever have a breath of depression.• The marriage feast was perhaps the most unfortunate that ever took place.• The most unfortunate, the most destructive, and oftentimes the most stubbornly-fought conflicts are those of an intra-provincial or civil character.unfortunate accident• It was a very unfortunate accident.• 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.• Since the unfortunate accident to your father, I have had the strangest presentiments concerning you, at times.unfortunateunfortunate2 noun [countable] literaryPOOR someone who has no money, home, job etcExamples from the Corpus
unfortunate• a poor unfortunate• The ferryman was Charon and those he would not admit to his boat were the unfortunates who had not been duly buried.• Of course, there are no longer bawdy houses, where these unfortunates are displayed openly to debauched satyrs.• Frankie had been one of those unfortunates. 