ENGLISH DICTIONARY

Unfortunately

Definition, Meaning & Examples

Pronunciation /ʌnˈfɔː.tjʊ.nət.li/ · Part of speech adverb

Quick meaning: Unfortunately is an adverb meaning Happening through bad luck, or because of some unfortunate event.

Meaning

Happening through bad luck, or because of some unfortunate event.

More Meanings

  1. Used (as a parenthetical word, often a sentence adverb) to express disappointment, compassion, sorrow, regret, or grief.

Example Sentences

He unfortunately placed his hand on a loose brick.
There were an unfortunately large number of misprints.
The houses which burned down could have been saved. Unfortunately, the fire truck had broken down on the way.
Unfortunately, the uproar awoke Mr. Jones, who sprang out of bed, making sure that there was a fox in the yard.

Synonyms for unfortunately

Depending on context, synonyms include unluckily, alas, regrettably, sadly.

Antonyms for unfortunately

Common opposites include fortunately, luckily, fortuitously.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include unluckily, regrettably, alas, unfortunate, unhappily, disgracefully.

Related Dictionary Tools

Sources & Attribution

FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0

Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.