what a fortune

USAGE SUMMARY

"what a fortune" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is typically used to express surprise or admiration about a large amount of money, or an unexpected positive outcome. For example, "Today I won the lottery! What a fortune!".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

The narrator of this novel, a crime-fiction translator in her forties living in Copenhagen, grapples with various troubles: she wants to escape crippling vertigo, to reconcile with her estranged sister, to learn how to drive, to remember what a fortune-teller once predicted for her.

The New Yorker

9.32pm BST What a chance for Marc-Antoine Fortune to put Wigan ahead.

The Guardian - Sport

But what a great fortune for those of us who still have the many memories, can read his book and articles, and can see his research style living on in the numerous students he has influenced.

Stanford University

–What is a Fortune 500 company?

The New York Times

What would a Fortune 100 company say publicly if a top executive suffered from a heart condition like that of the vice president, and what should be disclosed?

The New York Times

New information on his holdings in what is a fortune held by a sprawling clan, earns him a spot on the Forbes Billionaires list for the first time.

Forbes

It's probably still a gamble, and as with all else in tech at some point what costs a fortune will drop drastically in price, but for now this is the price of entry for something that holds the promise of being transformational — or so the thinking goes.

TechCrunch

And what might a fortune cookie for midlifers say?

HuffPost

Since then, what a reversal of fortune we've seen.

The New Yorker

"What a reversal of fortune", begins the (wisely) anonymous critic.

Vice

What a reversal of fortune for the Big Guy.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "what a fortune" to express surprise and delight at unexpectedly gaining a large sum of money or experiencing a highly favorable outcome.

Common error

Avoid using "what a fortune" in serious or somber situations. The phrase carries a lighthearted, celebratory tone that is inappropriate when discussing losses or hardships.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of the phrase "what a fortune" is to serve as an exclamatory expression. It conveys a sense of surprise, delight, or admiration when encountering a significant amount of money or unexpectedly positive circumstances, as exemplified by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Academia

3%

Wiki

3%

Reference

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "what a fortune" is a grammatically sound and generally neutral exclamatory expression used to convey surprise or delight upon encountering a significant sum of money or experiencing a highly favorable event. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and provides examples from various sources, primarily news and media. While not overly formal, it should be avoided in solemn contexts. Related phrases, such as "how fortunate" and "incredible wealth", can provide alternative ways to express similar sentiments with slight variations in emphasis or tone.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

how fortunate

Emphasizes the luck involved, shifting focus from the amount to the luck.

such good luck

Highlights the positive luck or chance occurrence, with a more general connotation.

incredible wealth

Focuses specifically on the vast amount of money or assets.

massive windfall

Emphasizes the sudden and unexpected nature of the gain.

remarkably lucky

Highlights the fortunate circumstances surrounding an event.

a stroke of luck

Indicates a single instance of fortunate chance.

an embarrassment of riches

Indicates an overabundance of something valuable, often with a slightly ironic tone.

filthy rich

A more colloquial and sometimes envious way to describe someone with extreme wealth.

swimming in money

A very informal and figurative way to describe having a lot of money.

rolling in dough

Informal and humorous way to say someone has a lot of money.

FAQs

How can I use "what a fortune" in a sentence?

You can use "what a fortune" to express surprise or delight at an unexpected gain or stroke of good luck. For example, "I won the lottery! What a fortune!"

What's a more formal alternative to "what a fortune"?

While "what a fortune" is generally acceptable, more formal alternatives might include "remarkable wealth" or "extraordinary success", depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "what a fortune!"?

Yes, it is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression to convey surprise or delight at a large sum of money or unexpected good luck, as confirmed by Ludwig.

What's the difference between "what a fortune" and "stroke of luck"?

"What a fortune" typically refers to a large amount of money, while "stroke of luck" refers to a fortunate event that may not necessarily involve money. They are not interchangeable in all contexts.