Some old men, by continually praising the time of their youth, would almost persuade us that there were no fools in those days; but unluckily they are left themselves for examples.
Source: tatoeba (411995)
Unluckily
/ʌnˈlʌkɪli/
Synonyms for "unluckily" (7 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (2)
Adverb(2 words)
Strong matches (2)
Adverb(1 words)
Related words (3)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: unfortunately, alas, badly, regrettably, sadly.
- Sentence evidence is available for unluckily, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, derived_reverse.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "unluckily".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "unluckily"
Keep "unluckily" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "unluckily" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "unluckily", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "unluckily" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
2 entriesadverbmanner adverb
Collocations
6 entriesunluckily duringunluckily enoughunluckily forunluckily occurredunluckily placedunluckily timed
Inflections
2 entriesmore unluckilymost unluckily
Derivations
2 entriesAntonyms
1 entriesSample sentences
6 total sentences available.
The day promised to be a very gay and happy one, but— Unluckily, in a marionette's life there's always a "but" which is apt to spoil everything.
Source: tatoeba (2732945)
They say that Ngoc hoang sent a messenger from heaven to men to say that when they reached old age they should change their skins and live for ever, but that when serpents grew old they must die. The messenger came down to earth and said, rightly enough, "When man is old he shall cast his skin; but when serpents are old they shall die and be laid in coffins." So far so good. But unluckily there happened to be a brood of serpents within hearing, and when they learned the doom pronounced on their kind, they fell into a fury and said to the messenger, "You must say it over again and just the contrary, or we will bite you."
Source: wiktionary
[…] where Hercules and Omphale having changed garments, he lying in his wives clothes, and ſhe in his Lions skin, made the luſtfull God mistake ſo unluckily, […]
Source: wiktionary
Showing 4 of 6 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "unluckily"?
Closest matches include unfortunately, alas, badly, regrettably, sadly.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "unluckily"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.