as in sadly
by bad fortune or luck
Unfortunately, you've just missed her.
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Recent Examples of unfortunately
We will unfortunately be closed until further notice.
—
Hannah Kirby, jsonline.com, 6 Feb. 2026
Every story on there is, unfortunately or fortunately, true.
—Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 6 Feb. 2026
And it’s turned a positive, unfortunately, into a potential negative.
—NBC news, 1 Feb. 2026
Sweating it out within four wooden walls is a weekly winter ritual for Nordic folks, but unfortunately for us heat-seekers on the other side of the world, the nearest sauna is often miles away, never in the next room or even on the same city block.
—Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 1 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unfortunately
Hannah Kirby, jsonline.com, 6 Feb. 2026
Every story on there is, unfortunately or fortunately, true.
—Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 6 Feb. 2026
And it’s turned a positive, unfortunately, into a potential negative.
—NBC news, 1 Feb. 2026
Sweating it out within four wooden walls is a weekly winter ritual for Nordic folks, but unfortunately for us heat-seekers on the other side of the world, the nearest sauna is often miles away, never in the next room or even on the same city block.
—Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 1 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unfortunately
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unfortunately
Adverb
-
So, Elliott Gould’s character, Legal, sadly dies this season.—
Pat Saperstein,
Variety,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Although the movie indicated that, sadly, little in Congress has changed — the same bickering and same patronage — our world has changed.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
6 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Their answer to having to tolerate difference is whatever means are necessary to stop liberalization, and lamentably, our Bill of Rights and governmental checks on the executive mean that taking a jack hammer to our nation’s foundation is a necessary means to a repugnant end.—
Rafael Perez,
Oc Register,
14 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unfortunately.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unfortunately. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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