Meaning & use
unfortunately
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Meaning
adverb
Used to show that you feel sad or sorry about something, or to introduce disappointing news.
Grammar: Often placed at the beginning of a sentence, followed by a comma, or in the middle, set off by commas: Unfortunately, we missed the train. / We missed the train, unfortunately.
Patterns
- Unfortunately, + clause
- clause + unfortunately
Unfortunately, the concert was canceled because of the storm.
She wanted to come, but unfortunately she had to work late.
Unfortunately, I left my phone at home.
Common combinations
- unfortunately for someone
- Unfortunately for him, the last ticket had just been sold.
- but unfortunately
- I'd love to help, but unfortunately I'm busy that day.
- unfortunately not
- Can you come? Unfortunately not.
Synonyms and how they differ
- sadly
- Similar in meaning, but 'sadly' can also mean 'in a sad way' (she smiled sadly), so it is less clear as a sentence adverb.
- regrettably
- More formal and often used in official announcements; 'unfortunately' is more common in everyday speech.
Opposites
Word family
- unfortunate adjective
- Unlucky or regrettable: an unfortunate accident.
- unfortunately adverb
- The adverb form meaning 'it is sad that'.
Commonly confused: unfortunately or unfortunate?
unfortunately vs unfortunate
Unfortunate is an adjective (an unfortunate mistake), while unfortunately is an adverb used to comment on a whole sentence.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'unfortunately' correctly?
Choose one answer.
All three positions are possible: at the start with a comma, at the end, or before the verb. However, 'unfortunately' at the end or before the verb is less common and often needs commas. The most natural and common position is at the beginning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “unfortunately”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.