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

Someone still must understand why that client is unhappy and rebuild confidence.

— Adam Povlitz, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Even residents who are unhappy with most aspects of the rezoning admit that the studios were a win.

— Kim Velsey, Curbed, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of unhappy

Adjective

Neighbors shocked about stabbing Neighbors say Thomas was known to have mental health issues and called the stabbing unfortunate.

— Bryan Lynn, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
To make matters worse, India’s Supreme Court, another vital democratic institution, has also played an unfortunate role in this train of events.

— Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of unfortunate

Adjective

But real power, particularly in numbers, can make things happen or stop really disastrous things from happening.

— Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
The 46-year-old was dismissed from the Mets halfway through the 2026 season after a disastrous start, which included a 12-game losing streak in April.

— Frederick Sutton Sinclair, CBS News, 15 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 Longhorns were up 17-3 after Ryan Niblett returned a punt for a touchdown to give the Horns a two-score lead midway through the second quarter while their opponent, the Florida Gators, looked hapless.

— Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 17 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 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of ill-starred

adjective

Example Sentences

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