without luck

USAGE SUMMARY

"without luck" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It can be used when referring to a situation in which something has not been successful, or when something could not have happened without a stroke of luck. For example: "We tried to make the meeting happen, but without luck."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science & Research

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Alas, without luck.

The Economist

She kept dialing without luck.

The Washington Post

Without luck, too, as it turned out.

The Guardian - Sport

Ms. Norton has sent out hundreds of résumés without luck.

The New York Times

He put out a newspaper ad, soliciting proposals without luck.

The New York Times

But if confused, Ms. Banchieri was not completely without luck.

The New York Times

On the other hand, great striving may come to naught without luck.

The New York Times

Barrett's argument isn't unique — what business thrives without luck and opportunism?

The New York Times - Books

A number of British stars have tried to conquer America without luck.

Independent

After that, he kept reaching out "again and again and again and again," without luck.

The Washington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

He and Chai have tried--without luck--to find an investor to buy out Pegasus.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "without luck" to succinctly convey a lack of success after an attempt or period of trying. It's suitable for both formal and informal writing.

Common error

Avoid using "without luck" when describing situations where effort wasn't a factor. It's best suited for scenarios where someone actively tried but didn't succeed due to circumstances or chance.

Linguistic Context

"Without luck" functions primarily as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or clause to indicate that an action was performed unsuccessfully. Ludwig AI confirms this through numerous examples demonstrating its use in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Academia

15%

Science

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "without luck" is a versatile and commonly used expression that indicates a lack of success after an attempt. As Ludwig AI confirms, it functions as an adverbial phrase and finds frequent use in news and media, as well as academic and scientific writing. While grammatically correct and appropriate for both formal and informal contexts, it's essential to use it when describing scenarios involving effort and chance rather than situations where effort wasn't a factor.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

with no success

Directly states the absence of a favorable outcome.

unsuccessfully

Implies a failure to achieve a desired outcome.

to no avail

Suggests that efforts were made but did not yield the intended result.

in vain

Emphasizes the futility of an action or attempt.

fruitlessly

Highlights the lack of positive results despite effort.

unproductively

Focuses on the absence of useful output or progress.

despite best efforts

Acknowledges effort but indicates a lack of positive results.

after repeated attempts

Highlights persistence but also the lack of a breakthrough.

against all odds

Emphasizes the difficulty and unlikelihood of success.

unfortunately

Expresses regret that success wasn't achieved.

FAQs

How can I use "without luck" in a sentence?

You can use "without luck" to indicate that an attempt to do something was unsuccessful. For example, "I tried to call her, but "without luck"."

What's a more formal alternative to "without luck"?

A more formal alternative would be "to no avail" or "unsuccessfully". For example, "The negotiations continued, but "to no avail"" is more formal than "The negotiations continued, but "without luck"."

Is it correct to say "with no luck" instead of "without luck"?

Yes, "with no luck" is grammatically correct and conveys a similar meaning to "without luck". Both phrases are acceptable and interchangeable in most contexts.

What's the difference between "without luck" and "unfortunately"?

"Without luck" implies an attempt was made but didn't succeed, while "unfortunately" simply expresses regret about an undesirable situation. You would use "without luck" when describing a failed attempt, and "unfortunately" when describing an event or outcome that is simply undesirable.