Spelling.School · How to spell

How to spell unfortunately

Unfortunately is spelled U-N-F-O-R-T-U-N-A-T-E-L-Y.

What it means: By bad luck; regrettably.

In a sentence: Unfortunately, the picnic was canceled because of the rain. ▶

The part people get wrong

Watch for an unstressed vowel that is hard to hear.

Same family: fortune, unfortunate, fortunately, misfortune, unluckily. If you can spell one, the shared part carries to the others.

Where it comes from: “Unfortunately” comes from the Latin word *fortuna*, meaning “chance” or “luck.” The prefix “un-” was later added in English to show the opposite, so the word literally suggests that something happens ‘not by good luck.’

Try spelling it

You will hear the word and a sentence. Type it and press Enter. Then four more words from the same level, so you know where you stand.

Words like this

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