lucky encounters

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "lucky encounters" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe unexpected and fortunate meetings or experiences with people or situations. Example: "During my travels, I had several lucky encounters that led to unforgettable adventures."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

With culture as its number one priority, his team is always grasping for an answer to the question, "How do you architect serendipity?" Answer: get more lucky encounters to happen.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Nhu: It was just a lucky encounter.

The New York Times

And, if you're lucky, encounter a fata morgana – the mirages, common to polar extremes, that shimmer in the air like fantasy castles.

The Guardian - Travel

But his diligent advances on the security agency come to nothing until he has a lucky encounter with a shard of infected glass.

The New York Times - Arts

If they were sufficiently familiar with the lime market and able to evaluate the quality of lime themselves, they would contact the suppliers directly this is why the suppliers might sometimes have a lucky encounter with "caishenye" (God of Wealth).

The Journal of Chinese Sociology

Sherman is lucky the encounter did not escalate into something physical and ugly.

The New York Times - Sports

She should have been afraid to hitchhike, and was lucky she encountered good Samaritans.

The New York Times

He was the kind of school administrator some college students might have considered themselves lucky to encounter, someone who was willing to raise grades issued by professors when the students' marks fell short of graduation requirements.

The New York Times

I was 28 and just finishing a book of essays, I'd been lucky to encounter other books Kraus had edited in the Native Agents series, but I Love Dick connected the dots for the first time.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

This, too, is where we find out whether Woodward and his team were merely lucky to encounter an exceptional group of players at an auspicious time, or if they have it in them to apply the same methods to a new generation with similar success.

The Guardian - Sport

The building and maintaining of such social networks significantly increases the likelihood of having a "lucky" chance encounter.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "lucky encounters" to describe situations where chance meetings or unplanned events lead to positive or beneficial outcomes. It adds a sense of serendipity to your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "lucky encounters" to describe situations where success is primarily due to skill or effort, not chance. This can diminish the value of hard work and preparation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "lucky encounters" primarily functions as a noun phrase, where "lucky" acts as an adjective modifying the noun "encounters". Ludwig confirms that this phrase is grammatically correct and is used to describe fortunate or serendipitous meetings.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

25%

Wiki

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "lucky encounters" is a grammatically correct phrase used to describe unplanned meetings or events that lead to positive or fortunate outcomes. As confirmed by Ludwig, the phrase is most commonly found in News & Media, Science, and Wiki contexts. While not exceedingly common, it is certainly recognizable and useful for adding a touch of serendipity to descriptions. When using the phrase, consider if the situation's success relies primarily on chance rather than skill and is, indeed, a meeting or event. Alternatives like "fortunate meetings" or "serendipitous meetings" can be considered depending on the desired nuance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Fortunate meetings

Replaces "lucky" with "fortunate", emphasizing the positive outcome of the encounters.

Serendipitous meetings

Uses "serendipitous" to highlight the accidental and beneficial nature of the encounters.

Chance meetings

Focuses on the unplanned nature of the encounters, implying luck.

Providential encounters

Suggests a divine or higher power influencing the fortunate meetings.

Auspicious encounters

Highlights the favorable and promising nature of the meetings.

Happy accidents

Emphasizes the accidental and positive outcome of situations.

Fortuitous coincidences

Focuses on the lucky alignment of events that lead to positive outcomes.

Beneficial run-ins

Highlights the positive results of unplanned meetings.

Favorable conjunctions

Emphasizes the positive alignment of circumstances leading to good fortune.

Propitious circumstances

Highlights the favorable conditions that lead to positive meetings or events.

FAQs

How can I use "lucky encounters" in a sentence?

You can use "lucky encounters" to describe unexpected and positive meetings or experiences. For example, "During my travels, I had several lucky encounters that led to unforgettable adventures."

What are some alternatives to "lucky encounters"?

Alternatives include "fortunate meetings", "serendipitous meetings", or "chance meetings", depending on the specific context.

What makes an encounter "lucky"?

An encounter is considered "lucky" when it is unplanned, unexpected, and leads to a positive or beneficial outcome. The element of chance is a key component.

Is there a difference between "chance encounters" and "lucky encounters"?

While both phrases refer to unplanned meetings, "lucky encounters" specifically implies that the encounter resulted in a positive or fortunate outcome. "Chance encounters" simply refers to unplanned meetings without necessarily implying a positive result.