Meaning & use

fortunately

adverb·Everyday

By good luck; used to introduce a positive outcome in an otherwise difficult situation.

See it in a sentence

The car skidded on the ice, but fortunately no one was hurt.

Fortunately, the flight was delayed just long enough for us to make our connection.

A note on using this word

Fortunately is a sentence adverb, usually placed at the start of a sentence to comment on the whole situation rather than a single word.

Words with a similar meaning

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

Make it your own

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