lucky

adjective

ˈlə-kē How to pronounce lucky (audio)
Definition of luckynext
1
as in happy
having good luck the lucky contestant finished the game show with $10,000

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fortunate
coming or happening by good luck especially unexpectedly finding this $20 bill on the way to the store was a lucky break

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word lucky different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of lucky are fortunate, happy, and providential. While all these words mean "meeting with unforeseen success," lucky stresses the agency of chance in bringing about a favorable result.

won because of a lucky bounce

When is fortunate a more appropriate choice than lucky?

The meanings of fortunate and lucky largely overlap; however, fortunate suggests being rewarded beyond one's deserts.

fortunate in my investments

How does the word happy relate to other synonyms for lucky?

Happy combines the implications of lucky and fortunate with stress on being blessed.

a series of happy accidents

When can providential be used instead of lucky?

Although the words providential and lucky have much in common, providential more definitely implies the help or intervention of a higher power.

a providential change in the weather

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of lucky Gabriel isn’t so lucky and dies after unfurling his parachute and cracking his head on the rudder. —Jordan Moreau, Variety, 23 May 2025 Curiously, the top three casinos are not in Las Vegas—Florida’s Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa was deemed the luckiest casino in America with the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York and the Choctaw Casino Resort in Durant, Oklahoma rounding out the top three. —Forbes Staff, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025 They are play — there’s always one, the lucky dumpling, that my parents fill with black peppercorns to award a prize to its unfortunate recipient, like finding a Golden Ticket. —Daria Lavelle, People.com, 23 May 2025 In another instance, the lucky baby received 1 million frequent-flyer miles. —Michael Nied, People.com, 12 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for lucky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lucky
  1. happy
  2. fortunate
Adjective
  • Bronwen Sciortino, author & simplicity expert teaching easy ways to tailor-make healthy, happy & highly successful lives.
    — Bronwen Sciortino, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
  • That said, Bono was more than happy to be included in the Trump dump.
    — Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 28 May 2025
Definition of happy
Adjective
  • While feeling fortunate to build the foundation of a new WNBA franchise, Thornton was stripped of the opportunity to defend the Liberty’s title, which was the first in franchise history.
    — Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 27 May 2025
  • For those of us fortunate enough to live in peace and have the means, shelter is home—a place of safety, sanctuary, permanence perhaps.
    — Nargess Banks, Forbes.com, 26 May 2025
Definition of fortunate

Browse Nearby Words

lucks (out, on, onto, or into)
lucky
lucrative
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lucky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lucky. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on lucky

Nglish: Translation of lucky for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about lucky

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Using Bullet Points ( • )

'Bring' vs. 'Take'

Is it 'used to' or 'use to'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language

10 Hella Good U.S. Regionalisms

The Clinical History of 'Moron,' 'Idiot,' and 'Imbecile'

And So It Begins: 9 Words for Beginnings
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
couple-laugh-cafe
Quiz: Foreign Phrases You Should Know Check out your bona fides and avoid any faux pas.
See All