luckily

USAGE SUMMARY

"luckily" is correct and usable in written English.
It is an adverb which means "by good fortune" or "fortunately". For example, "Lucky for me, I got the job I wanted."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Luckily, there's a cheap and adorable way to make your budget stretch and show your friends and family how much you care: Christmas gift bundles, collections of cut-price items with a personal theme.

The Guardian

Luckily, they had a part-time window cleaner, part-time firefighter living opposite whom they had no idea about.

The Guardian

Luckily the car - with two flat tyres - was found within a day in Hull.

The Guardian

Luckily for Bolt – and his sponsors – it's much harder to lose Twitter followers than gain them, and he'll have to post a lot of pictures of soft drinks before enough people desert him to make advertisers think again.

The Guardian - Opinion

Luckily they've split the poll into before-Iowa and after-Iowa.

The Guardian

Luckily, I have a big, red rotary dial phone, so I'm screeching into a lovely, solid chunk of plastic.

The Guardian - Money

It was anger about my disadvantages and a desire to prove myself capable that drove me to take up the challenge – luckily with my parents' full support.

The Guardian

"Luckily I landed in some cardboard boxes," he recalled.

The Guardian - Sport

Luckily this dramatic episode occurred at the end of our holiday in Wales.

The Guardian - Travel

Is this person trustworthy?" Luckily, he says, Gove's replacement took a more progressive view.

The Guardian

"I could do one job and that was jump, and luckily that was all I was expected to do – that and a little lap of honour afterwards.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "luckily" to express relief or satisfaction when something turns out well despite potential risks or difficulties. It adds a tone of optimism to your writing.

Common error

Avoid overusing "luckily" in situations where the positive outcome was highly probable or easily achievable. Using it in such contexts can diminish its impact and sound insincere.

Linguistic Context

The adverb "luckily" primarily functions as a sentence adverb. It modifies the entire clause or sentence, expressing the speaker's or writer's sentiment that something turned out well due to chance or good fortune. Ludwig's examples consistently demonstrate this usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "luckily" is a versatile adverb used to express a positive outcome resulting from chance or good fortune. Ludwig AI confirms it is grammatically sound and frequently used in various contexts, primarily in news and media. While interchangeable with terms like "fortunately", it's essential to avoid overuse in trivial situations to maintain its impact. This makes it important to use it to genuinely express gratitude when things work out for the best!

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

fortunately

Indicates a positive outcome due to good luck; a direct synonym.

as luck would have it

Emphasizes the role of chance in a fortunate event; slightly more informal.

by good fortune

Highlights the element of favorable chance; more formal.

by a stroke of luck

Suggests a sudden and unexpected instance of good luck.

happily

Focuses on the positive emotional result of a fortunate event.

thankfully

Expresses gratitude for a fortunate outcome.

providentially

Implies divine intervention or fate in a fortunate event; more formal and less common.

auspiciously

Indicates that the circumstances are favorable for a positive outcome; more formal.

by happy accident

Suggests the fortunate event was unplanned or unintended.

in a fortunate turn of events

Highlights the positive sequence of events leading to a good outcome; more descriptive.

FAQs

How can I use "luckily" in a sentence?

"Luckily" is typically placed at the beginning of a sentence or clause to modify the entire statement that follows, indicating that something favorable occurred. For example, "Luckily the rain stopped before the outdoor event started."

What are some alternatives to "luckily"?

You can use alternatives such as "fortunately", "as luck would have it", or "thankfully" to vary your writing while conveying a similar meaning.

Is it grammatically correct to start a sentence with "luckily"?

Yes, it is grammatically correct to start a sentence with "luckily". It functions as an adverb modifying the entire sentence, expressing that the situation turned out well by chance.

What's the difference between "luckily" and "fortunately"?

The terms "luckily" and "fortunately" are very similar and often interchangeable. "Luckily" may slightly emphasize the role of chance or luck, while "fortunately" might imply a more general sense of a positive outcome, regardless of the specific cause.