but fortunate

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "but fortunate" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to express a contrasting situation where despite a negative aspect, there is a positive outcome or condition. Example: "The weather was terrible, but fortunate for us, the event was held indoors."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Encyclopedias

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

16 human-written examples

There have been so many incredibly impressive players who have not had the good fortune to win three games that I cannot consider myself anything but fortunate to have been a Jeopardy champion.

Huffington Post

He was correct, but fortunate to a degree.

The New York Times

Some nicknames stuck, which was unfortunate for those rulers but fortunate for us.

Britannica

Yet the left-wing parties in Romano Prodi's coalition want any extra revenues used to mitigate social inequality.Caught between these demands, Mr Padoa-Schioppa feels anything but fortunate.

The Economist

Those aren't good makes, but fortunate ones, as Iguodala is willfully choosing inefficient offense and it happens to have worked out for the time being.

The New York Times

Unfortunate for him — but fortunate for moviegoers — that he did not heed its warning, making it possible for future generations of cinematic lycanthropes to follow in his paw prints.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

41 human-written examples

We were so unfortunate but so fortunate".

The New York Times

It was funny, perhaps, but also fortunate that Atlanta traded three prospects to acquire them.

The New York Times - Sports

I needed nine stitches but was fortunate to have suffered only relatively minor injuries.

The New York Times

It was just [an] unfortunate bounce, but a fortunate ending of that scenario.

The Guardian - Sport

Only a beautifully driven but slightly fortunate first victory in Hungary in 2006 stopped his career nosediving completely.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "but fortunate", ensure a clear contrast between an initial negative or challenging situation and a subsequent positive outcome. This emphasizes the unexpected or beneficial turn of events.

Common error

Avoid using "but fortunate" in situations where there is no prior negative context. The phrase is most effective when highlighting a surprising or unexpected positive result following a challenge.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "but fortunate" functions as a conjunction and an adjective phrase. The conjunction "but" introduces a contrast to a preceding statement, while "fortunate" describes the positive aspect of the situation. Ludwig AI confirms its correct and usable nature.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

20%

Encyclopedias

15%

Less common in

Science

10%

Wiki

5%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "but fortunate" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression to indicate a positive outcome despite an initial negative situation. As Ludwig AI confirms, its diverse application spans across various contexts, including news, business, and encyclopedic content, highlighting its versatility and reliability. When using "but fortunate", ensure that the contrast is evident and that the positive outcome is a noteworthy deviation from the expected negative circumstances. Alternatives such as "however lucky" and "yet luckily" can provide subtle shifts in emphasis, depending on the context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

however, lucky

Replaces "fortunate" with "lucky", maintaining the contrasting structure with "however" instead of "but".

yet, luckily

Substitutes "but" with "yet" and "fortunate" with "luckily", emphasizing the unexpected positive turn.

though, luckily

Similar to "yet, luckily", using "though" as a substitute for "but".

nonetheless, lucky

Uses "nonetheless" to indicate contrast and replaces "fortunate" with "lucky".

even so, lucky

Emphasizes contrast with "even so" and replaces "fortunate" with "lucky".

conversely, lucky

Highlights the contrast using "conversely", maintaining a positive outcome with "lucky".

on the other hand, lucky

Expresses contrast using "on the other hand" and maintains the positive outcome with "lucky".

however, advantageously

Replaces "fortunate" with "advantageously", highlighting the positive outcome as a benefit or gain.

yet, beneficially

Substitutes "but" with "yet" and "fortunate" with "beneficially", emphasizing the advantageous aspect.

though, providentially

Uses "though" as a contrast to the first clause of the sentence and then substitutes "fortunate" with "providentially", emphasizing the serendipitous nature of the situation.

FAQs

How can I use "but fortunate" in a sentence?

Use "but fortunate" to express a contrasting situation where, despite an initial negative circumstance, a positive outcome or condition arises. For instance: "The accident was severe, but fortunate that no one was seriously injured."

What are some alternatives to "but fortunate"?

You can use alternatives such as "however lucky", "yet luckily", or "though luckily" depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is "but fortunate" formal or informal?

"But fortunate" can be used in both formal and informal contexts, although it appears more frequently in news and media reporting, indicating a neutral formality level.

What's the difference between "but fortunate" and "but lucky"?

While "but fortunate" and "but lucky" are often interchangeable, "fortunate" can imply a sense of providence or destiny, whereas "lucky" suggests a chance occurrence. The choice depends on the specific context and the desired emphasis.