Unfortunately
/ʌnˈfɔːtʃənətli/
Definitions
Used to say that something is sad or disappointing.
/ʌnˈfɔːtʃənətli/
Used to express regret or unhappiness.
Unfortunately, the flight was delayed.
💡 Simply: It's like saying 'too bad' or 'sadly' about something. Like, 'Unfortunately, it's raining, so we can't go to the park.'
👶 For kids: It means something bad happened or you're sad about something.
More Examples
Unfortunately, the restaurant is closed on Mondays.
Unfortunately, I lost my keys again.
How It's Used
"Unfortunately, I won't be able to make it to the party."
"Unfortunately, the search team has found no survivors."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Idioms & expressions
The unfortunate truth
A sad or unpleasant reality.
"The unfortunate truth is that the project is over budget."
From 'un-' (not) + 'fortunate' (lucky), Late Middle English.
The word 'unfortunately' has been used since the 15th century to express an unfavorable outcome.
Memory tip
Think of a 'fortune cookie' with a bad message - UNFORTUNATELY!
Word Origin
"Not having good luck"