Meaning & use
out of luck
Last updated
Meanings
phrasefixed phraseinformal
unlucky and unable to get what you want or need; without a chance of success.
Grammar: Used after the verb be: be out of luck. It describes a person or group, not a thing.
Patterns
- be out of luck
- be out of luck if ...
I asked if there were any tickets left, but I was out of luck — they had all sold out.
If you're looking for a quiet table by the window, you're out of luck tonight.
The team was out of luck in the final minutes and lost by one point.
phrasefixed phraseinformal
having no more of something, especially money or time, so you cannot continue.
Grammar: Often used with 'run out of luck' to mean luck has finally ended.
Patterns
- be out of luck
- run out of luck
After three wins, the champion finally ran out of luck in the semifinal.
We were out of luck and out of time, so we had to cancel the trip.
Common combinations
- be out of luck
- If the store is closed, we're out of luck.
- run out of luck
- He ran out of luck when his car broke down.
- you're out of luck
- Sorry, you're out of luck — the last one just went.
- out of luck this time
- We were out of luck this time, but we'll try again.
Synonyms and how they differ
- unlucky
- Describes a person or event generally; 'out of luck' is more specific about not getting what you want right now.
- luckless
- More literary and often describes someone who always has bad luck, not just this moment.
Opposites
Commonly confused: out of luck or out of luck?
out of luck vs out of luck
Do not confuse with 'out of the loop', which means not knowing the latest information.
Practice
I tried to buy a ticket at the door, but they were sold out. I was completely ______.
Choose one answer.
'Out of luck' means you cannot get what you want because you are unlucky. 'In luck' is the opposite and would mean you were fortunate, which does not fit the sold-out situation.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “out of luck”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.