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Meaning & use

luckily

adverb·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˈlʌk.ɪ.li/
US/ˈlʌk.ə.li/

Meanings

  1. adverb

    Used to say that something good happened by chance, especially when things could have turned out badly.

    Grammar: Usually comes at the start of a sentence and comments on the whole situation, not on one verb: Luckily, we got there on time.

    Patterns

    • Luckily, + clause
    • Luckily for someone, + clause

    Luckily, the bus was late too, so I still caught it.

    We forgot the tickets, but luckily my sister had a copy on her phone.

    Luckily for us, the rain stopped just before the match began.

  2. adverb

    In a way that shows good luck or a fortunate result.

    Grammar: Used when describing how something happened; it can sit mid-sentence before the verb or at the end.

    Patterns

    • happen luckily
    • end luckily

    The whole trip ended luckily, with everyone home safe.

    Things worked out luckily for the small shop after the new road opened.

Common combinations

luckily for someone
Luckily for me, a neighbor had a spare key.
luckily enough
Luckily enough, the doctor could see her that same afternoon.
quite luckily
Quite luckily, we found the last two seats together.
luckily, though
The flight was delayed; luckily, though, we had a long stopover.
luckily for everyone
Luckily for everyone, the fire was put out quickly.

Synonyms and how they differ

fortunately
A little more formal and often used in writing; luckily is more common in everyday speech.
thankfully
Focuses on your relief rather than on chance, and often suggests you are grateful.
by chance
Emphasizes that there was no plan or reason; it does not carry the same sense of relief.

Opposites

unfortunatelysadly

Word family

lucky adjective
Having good things happen to you by chance.
luck noun
The force that seems to make good or bad things happen.
unluckily adverb
The opposite: in a way that shows bad luck.
luckless adjective
Literary word for someone who never has good luck.

Commonly confused: luckily or lucky? luckily or luckily vs. happily?

luckily vs lucky

Lucky is an adjective describing a person or thing (a lucky guess); luckily is an adverb commenting on a whole situation (Luckily, we won).

luckily vs luckily vs. happily

Happily means in a happy way or, occasionally, by good fortune; luckily always points to chance and a good outcome.

Practice

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