Meaning 1
Chance as it affects whether events turn out favorably or unfavorably.
Reach for it when acknowledging the role of chance in an outcome
Skill prepared the climbers, but luck gave them a clear weather window.
Meaning 2
A favorable result that arrives partly through chance.
Reach for it when celebrating good fortune without claiming it was earned
Finding the missing key before the train left was pure luck.
| Meaning 1 | Meaning 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| playful | ||
| everyday |
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| warm | ||
| professional | ||
| formal | ||
| literary |
everyday
chance
Fits when randomness itself is the neutral subject
Careful Chance does not imply a favorable or unfavorable result.
literary
Fits when chance feels like a larger force shaping events
Careful Fortune can also mean wealth and may sound fated.
playful
break
Fits when an informal opportunity or favorable turn is meant
Careful Break can imply an opportunity someone still must use.
playful
fluke
Fits when the result was unusually accidental and unlikely to repeat
Careful Fluke can diminish real preparation or skill.
warm
Fits when a valuable discovery happens unexpectedly
Careful Serendipity requires a fortunate finding, not any lucky outcome.
professional
Fits when an unexpected material gain arrives
Careful Windfall is limited to benefits, often financial.
formal
good fortune
Fits when positive chance is clear without slang
Careful Good fortune sounds more elevated than ordinary luck.
good luck
Good luck placed an experienced mechanic on the same road.
stroke of luck
A stroke of luck revealed the leak before the walls were closed.
trust to luck
No safety plan should trust to luck when a simple check is available.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Dvortygirl, American accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Updated
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