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

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ill-starred

Adjective

The decade was an unhappy panorama of inflation, gas shortages, military humiliation, and revelations of political corruption.

— Ann Manov, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026
On Tuesday, Paul urged Americans who are unhappy with the justices’ ruling to support his proposal.

— Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 30 June 2026

Definition of unhappy

Adjective

For many women, painful periods are treated as an unfortunate but normal part of life.

— Daryl Austin, USA Today, 7 July 2026
Instead, the meddling radiated corruption over due process of an unfortunate but longstanding rule that has remedies seldom invoked in the middle of the World Cup.

— Vahe Gregorian July 7, Kansas City Star, 7 July 2026

Definition of unfortunate

Adjective

The last time Rushing caught Ohtani, the pitcher took over pitch-calling after a disastrous second inning against the Twins last week.

— Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
Since his disastrous tenure with the New York Yankees from 2016 to 2022, which included a suspension for violating MLB’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse policy, Chapman has worked to turn around his career.

— Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 4 July 2026

Definition of disastrous

Adjective

The one in which his tiny team of negotiators surrendered to the radicals ruling that luckless nation.

— Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 20 June 2026
Any one of those locations could have allowed the heat of reentry to burn through the aluminum alloy walls of the spacecraft, killing any luckless crew that may have been inside, in much the kind of reentry breakup that doomed the shuttle Columbia and its seven-person crew in 2003.

— Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 11 Apr. 2026

Definition of luckless

Adjective

England’s hapless performance was summed up by the winning Australian runs coming from a wide from Ecclestone that raced to the boundary.

— Paul Newman, New York Times, 5 July 2026
Rather than trying to get past security and plant malware on your system, phishing sites do their best to trick you, the hapless user, into giving away your credentials.

— Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 25 June 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 8 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of ill-starred

adjective

Example Sentences

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