unluckily

"Unluckily" is an adverb that means in an unfortunate way or because of bad luck. It describes how something happens and often highlights chance, timing, or a result that goes against someone. It is close to "unfortunately," but "unluckily" more clearly suggests that luck was part of the situation.

Think of it as luck turning the wrong way. You might say, "Unluckily for the hikers, they lost the trail just before nightfall." This does not always mean they made a mistake; it suggests that events went badly at a very inconvenient moment. Or perhaps, "Unluckily, the bakery had already sold out of croissants when I arrived." It was simply bad timing.

"Unluckily" can also soften disappointing news or show sympathy. For example: "Unluckily, your application did not meet the criteria this time." This wording acknowledges disappointment while suggesting that the result was unfortunate, not a judgment of the person's worth.

The word is less common than "unfortunately" in everyday modern English, but it is still clear and useful when you want to stress the role of luck. If something goes wrong through bad timing or bad fortune, "unluckily" is a fitting choice.