unfortunately
Translation
unfortunately, regrettably
Examples
Unfortunately, I can't come to the party.
Unfortunately, I can't come to the party.
He tried his best but, unfortunately, he failed.
He tried his best but, unfortunately, he failed.
Grammar Patterns
Unfortunately, ((sentence)) Unfortunately, ((sentence)) Unfortunately, the store was closed.
Similar Words
Synonyms: sadly, regrettably; Antonyms: fortunately, luckily
Etymology
From the prefix un- (not) + fortunate + the adverbial suffix -ly. It literally means 'in a not fortunate manner'.
Memory Tips
This word is often used at the beginning of a sentence to introduce bad news. Think of it as the direct opposite of 'fortunately'.