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bad luck

/bæd lʌk/
noun phrase★Beginner💡 unfortunate circumstances
informal

Unfavorable or unfortunate circumstances or events that happen to someone.

She blamed her bad luck for failing the exam.

She attributed her failure to unfortunate events beyond her control.

He always says he has bad luck with relationships.

He often experiences difficulties or misfortune in romantic relationships.

💡

This phrase is commonly used to describe situations where someone experiences misfortune or unfortunate events.

Collocations

have bad luckto experience misfortuneblame on bad luckto attribute misfortune to external circumstances

Synonyms

misfortuneunluckinessill luckbad fortune

Antonyms

good luckfortunesuccess

Related Phrases

good luckphrase
wishing someone success or favorable outcomes
luck of the drawidiom
the outcome determined by chance

💡Pro Tip

Common Usage

'Bad luck' is often used to express sympathy or to explain why something went wrong. It can also be used humorously or sarcastically.

⚡Gold Rule

Context Matters

The phrase is generally used in informal contexts. In formal writing, you might use synonyms like 'misfortune' or 'unfortunate circumstances'.

📖Word Origin

The phrase 'bad luck' combines the adjective 'bad' (meaning unfavorable or unfortunate) with the noun 'luck' (meaning fortune or chance). It has been used in English since at least the 16th century.

📝Usage Notes

This phrase is commonly used in informal contexts to describe unfortunate events or situations. It can be used to express sympathy or to explain why something went wrong.

Word Breakdown

bad
unfavorable or unfortunate
adjective
+
luck
fortune or chance
noun
English Dictionary

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