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luckless

C2
adjective

Pronunciation

UK

  • /lˈʌkləs/

US

  • /ˈləkləs/

Description

Imagine a sailor meeting storm after storm, or a traveler whose plans keep going wrong. That's the kind of person or thing this word describes. It does not point to one bad moment. It suggests a steady pattern of bad luck, as if life keeps turning against them. You often see it in stories about people who face trouble again and again. It is stronger than simply saying "unlucky" because it gives the sense that the bad fortune keeps following them.

Examples

  1. 1

    Cycling mishap

    The luckless cyclist got a flat tire halfway up the hill.

  2. 2

    Sports

    The luckless striker hit the post twice before being substituted.

  3. 3

    Romance

    After another bad date, Maya joked that she was luckless in love.

    • Phrase

      luckless in love

      often having bad experiences in romance

  4. 4

    Travel disruption

    The storm left thousands of luckless travelers waiting overnight at the airport.

  5. 5

    Literary tone

    In the story, a luckless hero keeps trying to fix his life, but everything goes wrong.

    • Usage

      luckless often sounds literary or journalistic, not casual

Forms and spellings

1 form open this card.

Main spelling

  • lucklessadjective