luck
luck — noun
1. an invisible power that brings good events into your life by accident, not becau
an invisible power that brings good events into your life by accident, not because you planned or worked for them.
Kofi found a hundred dollars on the street — what incredible luck!
collocation: incredible / pure / amazing luck
Eliska touched the wooden table for good luck before she went on stage.
common phrase: for good luck (ritual/gesture)
Reuben said their victory was pure luck, not real skill.
collocation: pure luck (contrasting with skill)
Tanvi's luck changed when she found the missing ring under the sofa.
Asher wished his sister good luck as she walked into the exam room.
common phrase: wish (someone) good luck
- good luck
- bad luck
- pure luck
- incredible luck
- amazing luck
- a stroke of luck
- a piece of luck
- a run of luck
- with any luck
- fortune
more formal; 'fortune' can also mean wealth, while 'luck' cannot
- serendipity
formal; describes happy accidents, especially discoveries
- providence
formal or religious; implies a guiding divine force, not blind chance
- misfortune
formal term for bad luck or an unlucky event
Grammar Patterns
have + luck
wish (someone) + luck
a stroke of + luck
Usage Note
Uncountable noun — never 'a luck' or 'lucks'. Common with adjectives such as good, bad, pure, incredible, amazing. The phrase 'good luck' can be an exclamation (wishing someone success) or a noun phrase ('She has good luck with everything').
Common Mistakes
2. the situation of getting the result you wanted, when that result depends mainly
the situation of getting the result you wanted, when that result depends mainly on chance rather than skill.
Manuela had no luck finding a rental apartment in her price range.
negative pattern: have no luck + -ing
Henry tried three different shops but had no luck with the book.
negative pattern: have no luck with [noun]
Mayumi asked whether I had any luck with the car repairs.
question pattern: have any luck with [noun]
Walid wished me luck before I went into the interview room.
Owen had some luck at the flea market and found a vintage lamp he wanted.
positive pattern: have (some) luck at [place/event]
- have luck
- no luck
- any luck
- some luck
- good luck (with something)
- success
broader — success can come from effort; 'luck' always implies chance played a part
Grammar Patterns
have + (no / any / some) + luck + with + noun
have + (no / any / some) + luck + -ing
Usage Note
In this sense, 'luck' is used informally to ask about or describe the outcome of an effort. Questions like 'Any luck?' and answers like 'No luck so far' are very common in everyday speech. The focus is on the result, not the abstract force.
Common Mistakes
3. the unpredictable force that decides what happens in people's lives, producing e
the unpredictable force that decides what happens in people's lives, producing either good or bad results that they cannot control through their own actions.
Bao believes that luck plays a big part in every success story.
collocation: luck plays a (big) part / role
By a stroke of luck, the train arrived just as Christopher reached the platform.
fixed phrase: a stroke of luck (sudden fortunate event)
Sora accepted whatever happened as the work of luck, both good and bad.
collocation: the work of luck
Grandma said that luck had brought their family through many difficult years together.
Nellie called it a twist of luck that she met her old friend at the airport.
fixed phrase: a twist of luck (unexpected change caused by chance)
- by luck
- a stroke of luck
- a twist of luck
- the work of luck
- luck plays a part
- a matter of luck
Grammar Patterns
by + luck
as + luck + would + have + it
a matter of + luck
Usage Note
This sense is more neutral than sense 1 — it can refer to good or bad outcomes. It appears in many fixed expressions such as 'as luck would have it', 'by luck', 'a twist of luck'. Unlike sense 1, it is not limited to positive fortune, and it is often used to talk about how events unfold in a way that people cannot explain.
used to wish someone success or a good outcome before they do something difficult or important.
Good luck with your driving test tomorrow — I am sure you will pass.
Best of luck to everyone running the marathon this weekend.
bad luck / hard luck
idiomused to express sympathy when something unpleasant has happened to someone.
Oh, bad luck! You were so close to winning the game.
Hard luck, Tuan — I know you trained really hard for that race.
any luck?
idiomused to ask whether someone has been successful in something they were trying to do.
Any luck finding your keys? I have been looking everywhere for mine too.
I asked Joaquín, 'Any luck with the job applications?' and he just shook his head.
used to describe how chance decided what happened, often in a way that is surprising or convenient.
As luck would have it, Imran ran into his childhood friend at the exact same café.
As luck would have it, the only hotel with a free room was the cheapest one in town.
down on your luck
idiomexperiencing a long period of bad luck, especially involving financial problems.
After losing his job and his apartment, Christopher was really down on his luck.
The shelter provides meals and beds for people who are down on their luck.
just my luck
idiomsaid when something bad happens to you in a way that feels typical of your bad fortune.
Just my luck — I waited an hour for the bus, and then it broke down after two stops.
Just my luck that it started raining right when I hung the washing outside.
push your luck
idiomto take an extra risk because you have already been successful, in a way that may cause you to lose what you have gained.
You have already asked Dad for a raise twice — do not push your luck.
Emre knew he was pushing his luck by arriving late for the third time that week.
try your luck
idiomto attempt something that involves risk, hoping to succeed even though success is not guaranteed.
Imani decided to try her luck at the singing competition even though she was nervous.
We tried our luck at the casino but left after losing twenty dollars.
stroke of luck
idioma sudden, unexpected piece of good fortune.
By an incredible stroke of luck, the missing passport was found in a library book.
It was a real stroke of luck that Élise's neighbour happened to be a plumber.
tough luck
idiomused either to express sympathy (kind) or to show that you do not feel sorry for someone (dismissive), depending on context.
Tough luck, Mira — I know you wanted that promotion badly.
If you forgot to set your alarm, tough luck — the bus left ten minutes ago.
You say this to show you feel sorry for someone who has had something bad happen.
Bad luck, Sara—you almost won the race.
It's hard luck on Diego that his flight was cancelled.
be down on your luck
idiomTo have very little money because you have had a period of bad luck.
After losing his job, Tom was down on his luck.
Maya helped a family that was down on their luck.
You say this to wish someone success in what they are doing.
The best of luck with your new job, Anna!
Good luck with your driving test tomorrow.
You say this to encourage someone who has not succeeded at something.
You didn't win this time, but better luck next time.
Better luck next time, Brian—you tried hard.
for luck
idiomYou do something for luck because you believe it will bring good luck or because it is a tradition.
I always wear my lucky socks for luck.
She kissed the dice for luck before rolling them.
You say this when you do not mind what someone does and you hope they succeed.
If he wants to start his own business, good luck to him.
Good luck to her—she deserves a break.
hard luck
idiomYou say this to show that you feel sorry for someone who has had something bad happen.
Hard luck, Min—you were so close to winning.
Oh, hard luck—better luck next time.
You say this when something bad happens to you and you are not surprised because you are usually unlucky.
Just my luck to find the store closed.
Just his luck to get a flat tire on the highway.
You say this when someone has been lucky or successful.
I found a parking spot right away—my luck is in!
Her luck was in when she won the lottery.
the luck of the draw
idiomThe idea that chance decides something and you cannot control it.
Who you meet in life is often the luck of the draw.
Getting a good teacher is just the luck of the draw.
no such luck
idiomYou say this when something you hoped for did not happen, and you are disappointed.
Did you get the job? No such luck.
I hoped for a sunny day, but no such luck.
pot luck
idiomWhen you take pot luck, you choose something or go somewhere without knowing much about it, hoping it will be good.
We took pot luck and picked a restaurant at random.
You're welcome to dinner, but it's pot luck.
To take a risk because you have been lucky before, even though it might cause problems.
You passed the test once, but don't push your luck.
He was late again—he's really pushing it.
To do something that involves risk or luck, hoping to succeed.
She decided to try her luck at the casino.
He tried his luck in the music industry.
worse luck!
idiomYou say this to show that you are disappointed about something.
I have to work on Saturday, worse luck!
We missed the last train, worse luck.
luck — verb
1. to achieve a good result because of good fortune, not because of your own effort
to achieve a good result because of good fortune, not because of your own effort or ability.
The school team really lucked out when their strongest rival withdrew from the match.
phrasal verb: luck out — succeed by good fortune
Mira lucked into a fantastic job when her friend recommended her to the manager.
Nia and her friends lucked out and got the last two tickets for the concert.
phrasal verb: luck out + got (result)
Yan lucked out when his landlord agreed to lower the rent by two hundred dollars.
- luck out
- luck into
- stumble into
suggests less deliberate action; 'stumble into' often implies you were not even trying
- fall into
similar to 'luck into' but can also mean by poor judgment, not just good fortune
Grammar Patterns
luck + out
luck + into + noun
Usage Note
Almost always used with the particles 'out' or 'into'. 'Luck out' (American English) means to be very fortunate in a situation. 'Luck into' means to get something good without planning. Neither is used in formal writing.
Common Mistakes
2. to find or obtain something good unexpectedly, without having been searching for
to find or obtain something good unexpectedly, without having been searching for it.
Élise lucked upon a rare signed book at the flea market for just five dollars.
phrasal verb: luck upon — find by chance
Nellie lucked on a quiet little café while wandering through the old part of town.
Lucía lucked into a box of vintage records that someone had left on the sidewalk.
phrasal verb: luck into — obtain unexpectedly
Ryo lucked upon an open parking spot right in front of the restaurant.
- luck upon
- luck on
- luck into
- stumble upon
more common; can describe finding good or neutral things, not only desirable ones
- come across
neutral; does not carry the implication of good fortune
Grammar Patterns
luck + upon/on/into + noun
Usage Note
The particles 'upon', 'on', and 'into' are largely interchangeable, though 'upon' sounds slightly more literary. The object is always something desirable; unlike the noun senses, the verb cannot describe finding something bad.
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
While 'luck' (noun/1) refers to a force that brings good events by accident, the four synonyms differ in scope and connotation. 'Fortune' is more formal and can also mean wealth ('a fortune' = a lot of money). 'Chance' is purely neutral — it describes random possibility without any suggestion of good or bad outcomes, whereas 'luck' is almost always evaluated as good or bad. 'Fate' and 'destiny' are stronger: they imply that events are fixed in advance by some power, not that they happen randomly. 'Fate' can be good or bad ('a cruel fate'), while 'destiny' tends to be positive and grand ('destiny made them leaders'). For everyday situations where you simply mean something good happened unexpectedly, 'luck' is the most natural choice. For example: 'It was pure luck that I found my keys' sounds natural; 'It was pure destiny that I found my keys' would sound overly dramatic.
Common collocations
Etymology
The word 'luck' entered English in the 1400s from Middle Dutch 'luk', meaning happiness or good fortune, and is related to the German word 'Glück' (luck, happiness). Before this borrowing, Old English did not have a direct equivalent — people used words like 'wyrd' (fate) or 'gesǣlig' (blessed/happy) to express similar ideas. The modern sense of luck as an impersonal force that randomly distributes good or bad outcomes developed over the following centuries.