Meaning & use
fortunately
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Meanings
adverbnot comparable
Used to comment that something happened because of good luck, especially when it prevented a worse result.
Grammar: Sentence adverb, usually first in the sentence and followed by a comma: Fortunately, nobody was hurt.
Patterns
- Fortunately, ...
- fortunately for someone
Fortunately, the rain stopped before the wedding began.
The car was badly damaged but, fortunately, no one was inside.
Fortunately for us, the last train was running late.
adverbnot comparableformal
In a lucky or favorable way, describing how a situation turned out for someone.
Grammar: Less common with a verb or adjective, mainly in formal or literary writing: fortunately placed.
Patterns
- fortunately situated
- fortunately timed
The house is fortunately situated near the station.
The offer arrived fortunately at the moment I needed money.
Common combinations
- fortunately for us
- Fortunately for us, the shop was still open.
- but fortunately
- I forgot my umbrella, but fortunately it didn't rain.
- fortunately enough
- Fortunately enough, a taxi was waiting outside.
- fortunately placed
- The hotel is fortunately placed for the beaches.
- very fortunately
- Very fortunately, the doctor was on the same flight.
Synonyms and how they differ
- luckily
- Luckily is the more casual everyday equivalent, while fortunately sounds a little more neutral and suits formal writing.
- happily
- Happily as a sentence adverb stresses a pleasing outcome and sounds slightly more literary.
- thankfully
- Thankfully adds relief, as if a worry has ended, which fortunately does not necessarily show.
- providentially
- Providentially is formal and suggests the luck seemed arranged by fate.
Opposites
Word family
- fortune noun
- luck, or a large amount of money
- fortunate adjective
- lucky
- unfortunate adjective
- unlucky or regrettable
- unfortunately adverb
- used to comment on bad luck or a disappointing fact
Commonly confused: fortunately or fortuitously?
fortunately vs fortuitously
Fortuitously means by chance, whether good or bad; fortunately specifically means the result was lucky.
Practice
The storm knocked out the power, ___ the generator started within seconds.
Choose one answer.
The generator saved the situation, so a word of good luck is needed. Unfortunately and regrettably signal bad news, and hardly does not fit grammatically.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “fortunately”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.