ILL-STARRED Synonyms: 40 Similar and Opposite Words

ill-starred

adjective

ˈil-ˈstärd

Definition of ill-starred

as in unhappy

having, prone to, or marked by bad luck an ill-starred attempt to circumnavigate the earth in a balloon

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ill-starred

Adjective

Many of the women in the packed courtroom gallery appeared unhappy when the sentences were rendered.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 28 Oct. 2026
Andy’s view Almost 14 years into Xi Jinping’s norm-busting reign, just about everybody is unhappy with his economy.

— Andy Browne, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of unhappy

Adjective

For many people, however, the presentation instead bears an uncanny and unfortunate resemblance to imagery used in Nazi-era Germany.

— Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
The Giannis Antetokounmpo era is off to an unfortunate start, as the Heat is 0-2 to start a season for the first time since the 2022-23 campaign.

— Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of unfortunate

Adjective

Prolonged pump stoppages could lead to a disastrous local scenario of ruptured water supply, district heating, and sewage pipes, even if electricity remains available elsewhere in the country.

— Tatiana Mitrova, Foreign Affairs, 23 Oct. 2026
Yet, the Royals are sitting at home after a disastrous 69-93 campaign.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of disastrous

Adjective

During these walking meditations my notebook starts to feel suspiciously similar to the luckless young climber’s selfie camera.

— Brian Laidlaw, Longreads, 1 Sep. 2026
This year, the final was between Kerry, historically the sport’s most successful side, and Mayo, one of Ireland’s smaller counties by population and, in football terms, the most luckless.

— Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 27 July 2026

Definition of luckless

Adjective

The surprising loss to the Commanders was followed by a win over the hapless LA Chargers, then two frustrating losses to the San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos in overtime.

— Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Fooling hapless web surfers into giving away their credentials by faking secure websites is easy, by comparison.

— Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of hapless

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Browse Nearby Words

ills

ill-starred

ill-tempered

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“Ill-starred.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ill-starred. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of ill-starred

adjective

Example Sentences

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