ill-fated

/ˌɪl ˈfeɪtɪd/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌɪl ˈfeɪtɪd/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈil-ˈfā-təd/ (ame, mw)

ill-fated — adjective

1. destined to fail or end badly, especially with people losing their lives or hope

1.形容詞C1
釋義

destined to fail or end badly, especially with people losing their lives or hopes being crushed.

例句

Owen's ill-fated trip up the mountain ended when a sudden storm trapped his climbing party.

attributive: ill-fated + noun (trip)

The ill-fated submarine sank on its first voyage; only two of forty sailors survived.

common collocation: ill-fated + vehicle/vessel

同義詞
  • doomed

    stronger; emphasises that the bad ending was certain from the start

  • star-crossed

    literary; specifically about romance, suggesting fate works against the lovers

  • unlucky

    much weaker and more everyday; not tied to tragic outcomes

  • ruinous

    focuses on the destructive result rather than the predetermined fate

反義詞
  • successful

    neutral opposite — the venture went well

  • auspicious

    formal; suggests a promising or favourable start

文法句型

ill-fated + noun

用法筆記

Almost always used attributively (before a noun), not after a linking verb. Common head nouns are journeys, ventures, relationships, and historical events whose ending was already known to be bad.

常見錯誤

❌The expedition was ill-fated.
✅The ill-fated expedition cost six lives.
💡'ill-fated' is normally used in front of a noun, not as a complement after 'be'.
❌I had an ill-fated morning.
✅I had a terrible morning.
💡'ill-fated' refers to large undertakings with a tragic end, not minor everyday setbacks.