fortuitous

adjective

for·tu·itous | \ fȯr-ˈtü-ə-təs

, -ˈtyü-, fər-\

Definition of fortuitous

1 : occurring by chance

2a : fortunate, lucky from a cost standpoint, the company's timing is fortuitous — Business Week

b : coming or happening by a lucky chance belted down the stairs, and there was a fortuitous train— Doris Lessing

Other Words from fortuitous Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym Usage of Fortuitous Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about fortuitous

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Choose the Right Synonym for fortuitous

accidental, fortuitous, casual, contingent mean not amenable to planning or prediction. accidental stresses chance. any resemblance to actual persons is entirely accidental fortuitous so strongly suggests chance that it often connotes entire absence of cause. a series of fortuitous events casual stresses lack of real or apparent premeditation or intent. a casual encounter with a stranger contingent suggests possibility of happening but stresses uncertainty and dependence on other future events for existence or occurrence. the contingent effects of the proposed law

Did You Know?

For some 250 years, until the early part of the 20th century, "fortuitous" meant one thing only: "happening by chance." This was no accident; its Latin forebear, fortuitus, derives from the same ancient root as the Latin word for "chance," which is "fors." But the fact that "fortuitous" sounds like a blend of "fortunate" and "felicitous" (meaning "happily suited to an occasion") may have been what ultimately led to a second meaning: "fortunate." That use has been disparaged by critics, but it is now well established. Perhaps the seeds of the newer sense were planted by earlier writers applying overtones of good fortune to something that is a chance occurrence. In fact, today we quite often apply "fortuitous" to something that is a chance occurrence but has a favorable result.

Examples of fortuitous in a Sentence

… the intensification of competition on the job market has only exacerbated our class anxiety, as hiring seems all the more uncertain if not fortuitous. — Jeffrey J. Williams, College English, November 2003 … he is a brilliant candidate not despite his anti-intellectualism but because of it. He has stumbled upon a fortuitous moment in which the political culture, tired of wonks and pointy-heads and ideologues, yearns instead for a candidate unburdened by, or even hostile to, ideas. — Jonathan Chait, New Republic, 20 Dec. 1999 Her $170, 000 bid on what is now Matanzas Creek's vineyard was accepted. The south-facing slope was a fortuitous find … its worth more than 10 times as much today. — Jeff Morgan, Wine Spectator, 15 May 1996 His presence there was entirely fortuitous. You could not have arrived at a more fortuitous time.

Recent Examples on the Web

Unforeseen to her, this cane would serve a historically valiant and fortuitous purpose beyond aiding her injury. — Emily Sweeney, BostonGlobe.com, "Titanic survivor’s light-up cane to be auctioned off," 17 July 2019 Painful or fortuitous, all the experiences lead to a richer engagement with life. — Margaret Wappler, latimes.com, "Crazy about books? These 5 L.A. book events offer inspiring stories from Los Angeles and beyond," 12 July 2019 That would prove to be a fortuitous turn of events. — Mark Goodman, The Denver Post, "Colorado Rapids defender Lalas Abubakar is going places, and he doesn’t seem to mind," 21 June 2019 Even Thursday’s loss to Belgium was fortuitous: by finishing second in its group behind Belgium, England avoided Brazil, five-time World Cup champ and home to superstar Neymar Jr., in its quadrant. — Sean Gregory, Time, "32 Teams Entered, 16 Remain. Your Ultimate Guide to the World Cup Knockout Stage," 29 June 2018 Finally, in the 54th minute, Spain scored the goal which reflected their superiority, though the goal itself was fortuitous at best. — SI.com, "Iran 0-1 Spain: Diego Costa & VAR Give La Roja Deserved Group B Win Despite Brave Iranian Resistance," 20 June 2018 Their timing was fortuitous; wallpaper, says Stordiau, is enjoying a democratic resurgence. — Laird Borrelli-persson, Vogue, "Baptism by Fire: How Antoinette Poisson Came to Create Textiles for Gucci’s Resort Collection," 20 June 2018 Image The Yankees were aided immensely by a fortuitous bounce in the top of the 10th inning after Aroldis Chapman walked Tony Kemp with two out and sent him to second with a wild pitch. — Wallace Matthews, New York Times, "Gleyber Torres Finishes Off a Yankees Rally to Beat the Astros," 30 May 2018 All of the models wore flat rubber boots or combat shoes, which turned out to be fortuitous. — Kathleen Hou, The Cut, "Inside Dior’s Fashion Rodeo," 26 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fortuitous.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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More Definitions for fortuitous

fortuitous

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of fortuitous

formal

: happening by chance

: having or showing good luck

See the full definition for fortuitous in the English Language Learners Dictionary

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fortuitous

Definition of fortuitous

Other Words from fortuitous

Synonyms & Antonyms for fortuitous

Choose the Right Synonym for fortuitous

Usage of Fortuitous

Did You Know?

Examples of fortuitous in a Sentence

First Known Use of fortuitous

History and Etymology for fortuitous

English Language Learners Definition of fortuitous

fortuitous

Definition of fortuitous

Other Words from fortuitous

Synonyms & Antonyms for fortuitous

Choose the Right Synonym for fortuitous

Usage of Fortuitous

Did You Know?

Examples of fortuitous in a Sentence

First Known Use of fortuitous

History and Etymology for fortuitous

English Language Learners Definition of fortuitous

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