Everyone has days when things just don’t go right. Maybe you spill your drink, miss the bus, or forget your homework. In the USA, people often use special phrases to talk about these unlucky moments. These phrases are called idioms.
Idioms about bad luck help us describe problems in fun and creative ways. They make conversations more interesting. In this article, you’ll learn 38 idioms that Americans use when talking about bad luck. These phrases are easy to understand and use in daily life. Whether you’re feeling unlucky or just curious, this guide will help you talk about tough times with the right words.
Idioms About Bad Luck
1. Bad break
Meaning: Something unlucky happened
Example Sentence:
• He had a bad break when he lost his wallet at the mall.
• It was a bad break when her bike tire popped on the way to school.
Other ways to say: Tough luck, bad turn
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from sports, like when a pool ball breaks badly.
Usage: Used when something unlucky suddenly happens.
2. Down on your luck
Meaning: Having a lot of bad luck
Example Sentence:
• She was down on her luck after losing her job.
• He’s been down on his luck ever since his car broke down.
Other ways to say: Going through a rough time, having no luck
Fun Fact/Origin: Old American phrase from the early 1900s.
Usage: Often used when someone faces one problem after another.
3. If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all
Meaning: Everything seems to go wrong
Example Sentence:
• My team lost again—if it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all.
• She missed the bus and her lunch spilled—what a day.
Other ways to say: No luck at all, always unlucky
Fun Fact/Origin: Became popular through blues songs.
Usage: Used jokingly when many bad things happen at once.
4. Murphy’s Law
Meaning: If something can go wrong, it will
Example Sentence:
• I forgot my umbrella, and it rained. Murphy’s Law!
• The printer broke on picture day. That’s Murphy’s Law.
Other ways to say: Of course that happened, typical bad luck
Fun Fact/Origin: Named after Edward A. Murphy, an engineer.
Usage: Used when something goes wrong in a silly or frustrating way.
5. Black cloud over someone
Meaning: Someone has constant bad luck
Example Sentence:
• Ever since the move, it’s like there’s a black cloud over him.
• She keeps getting hurt—there’s a black cloud over her.
Other ways to say: Bad streak, trouble following
Fun Fact/Origin: Refers to rain clouds, symbolizing gloom.
Usage: Used when someone faces repeated trouble.
6. Born under a bad sign
Meaning: Someone always has bad luck
Example Sentence:
• He spills things every day—maybe he was born under a bad sign.
• She always loses at board games—bad sign maybe?
Other ways to say: Unlucky from the start, cursed
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from astrology.
Usage: Used playfully when someone is always unlucky.
7. Snakebit
Meaning: Very unlucky
Example Sentence:
• The team’s been snakebit all season—they haven’t won a game.
• Every time I try to help, it backfires. I’m snakebit.
Other ways to say: Jinxed, always unlucky
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from cowboys fearing snake bites as signs of bad luck.
Usage: Often used in sports or games.
8. Luck ran out
Meaning: Good luck stopped suddenly
Example Sentence:
• I won three times, then my luck ran out.
• Their winning streak ended—their luck ran out.
Other ways to say: No more luck, turned unlucky
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from gambling slang.
Usage: Used when a lucky streak ends.
9. Catch a bad break
Meaning: Experience sudden misfortune
Example Sentence:
• He caught a bad break when his backpack ripped.
• That pop quiz was a bad break for me.
Other ways to say: Get unlucky, hit with trouble
Fun Fact/Origin: Similar to “bad break” in pool or sports.
Usage: Used when something unexpected goes wrong.
10. Just my luck
Meaning: Something unlucky happened to me
Example Sentence:
• The store closed early—just my luck!
• I forgot my homework—just my luck.
Other ways to say: Of course that would happen, bad luck
Fun Fact/Origin: Popular in American movies and shows.
Usage: Often used when something mildly annoying happens.
11. Jinxed
Meaning: Something or someone seems cursed
Example Sentence:
• Every time we wear that shirt, we lose. It’s jinxed.
• He thinks his locker is jinxed—it always breaks.
Other ways to say: Cursed, has bad luck
Fun Fact/Origin: “Jinx” comes from old magical spells.
Usage: Used when things keep going wrong with someone or something.
12. A run of bad luck
Meaning: A series of unlucky events
Example Sentence:
• I had a run of bad luck last week—everything went wrong.
• She had a run of bad luck with her grades and sports.
Other ways to say: Bad streak, unlucky phase
Fun Fact/Origin: Common in American card games and sports.
Usage: Used to describe several unlucky events happening in a row.
13. Star-crossed
Meaning: Doomed by fate or luck
Example Sentence:
• The star-crossed team never made it to the finals.
• Their friendship was star-crossed—they kept missing each other.
Other ways to say: Doomed, ill-fated
Fun Fact/Origin: From old stories where stars were believed to control luck.
Usage: Used when bad luck feels like fate.
14. Out of luck
Meaning: No luck left
Example Sentence:
• You’re out of luck—they sold the last ticket.
• She was out of luck when the store ran out of her size.
Other ways to say: Missed out, no chance
Fun Fact/Origin: Phrase is often used in daily conversation across the USA.
Usage: Said when a person misses out on something.
15. A losing streak
Meaning: Keep losing again and again
Example Sentence:
• The basketball team is on a losing streak.
• I’m on a losing streak with every game I play.
Other ways to say: Bad run, no wins
Fun Fact/Origin: Common in American sports and video games.
Usage: Describes a time of repeated failure or bad luck.
16. The short end of the stick
Meaning: Get the bad part of a deal
Example Sentence:
• I got the short end of the stick and had to do all the chores.
• He always seems to get the short end of the stick in group work.
Other ways to say: Treated unfairly, got the worst part
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from choosing straws to decide something.
Usage: Used when someone ends up with the worst part.
17. Draw the short straw
Meaning: Chosen for something unlucky
Example Sentence:
• I drew the short straw and had to clean the lunchroom.
• He drew the short straw and had to go first.
Other ways to say: Got picked for the worst task
Fun Fact/Origin: From a game where short straws meant bad luck.
Usage: Used in situations where someone gets an unwanted job.
18. Tough break
Meaning: A small or big unlucky event
Example Sentence:
• Missing the bus on a rainy day? Tough break.
• She broke her glasses before the test. Tough break.
Other ways to say: Hard luck, unlucky moment
Fun Fact/Origin: Common in casual American conversations.
Usage: Used to show sympathy for someone’s bad luck.
19. Bad roll of the dice
Meaning: Got unlucky by chance
Example Sentence:
• The game was close, but I had a bad roll of the dice.
• They lost because of one bad roll of the dice.
Other ways to say: Unlucky turn, bad chance
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from board games and gambling.
Usage: Used when chance leads to a bad outcome.
20. Walking bad luck
Meaning: A person who always brings bad luck
Example Sentence:
• He says he’s walking bad luck because weird things always happen around him.
• I’m walking bad luck—I dropped the cake and lost my keys.
Other ways to say: Jinxed person, unlucky one
Fun Fact/Origin: Informal American phrase used in humor.
Usage: Used jokingly when someone faces a lot of unlucky events.
21. Bad hand
Meaning: Given a tough situation
Example Sentence:
• She was dealt a bad hand when her car broke and she lost her phone.
• Life gave him a bad hand this month.
Other ways to say: Tough situation, hard time
Fun Fact/Origin: From playing cards where a “hand” is your cards.
Usage: Describes a hard or unlucky situation.
22. Hard knocks
Meaning: Tough experiences in life
Example Sentence:
• He grew up learning from the school of hard knocks.
• Life’s full of hard knocks, but he keeps going.
Other ways to say: Hard lessons, tough life
Fun Fact/Origin: Used in American books and speeches.
Usage: Describes someone learning from bad or hard times.
23. Like a black cat crossed your path
Meaning: Something superstitiously unlucky happened
Example Sentence:
• I fell and dropped my lunch—must’ve been that black cat.
• He blamed his bad day on a black cat crossing his path.
Other ways to say: Bad omen, unlucky moment
Fun Fact/Origin: From old superstitions in America and Europe.
Usage: Used when something strange and unlucky happens.
24. Rain on your parade
Meaning: Something ruins your happy moment
Example Sentence:
• I was excited for the game, but the storm rained on my parade.
• Her surprise party got canceled—talk about raining on her parade.
Other ways to say: Ruin the fun, spoil the moment
Fun Fact/Origin: From actual parades that get ruined by rain.
Usage: Used when something ruins a good time.
25. Hit a snag
Meaning: Face a sudden problem
Example Sentence:
• We hit a snag with the project when the laptop crashed.
• His birthday plans hit a snag when the cake didn’t arrive.
Other ways to say: Ran into trouble, unexpected problem
Fun Fact/Origin: “Snag” means a hidden bump or catch.
Usage: Used when something goes wrong in a plan.
26. Have two left feet
Meaning: Be clumsy or awkward
Example Sentence:
• I tripped over nothing—I must have two left feet.
• He can’t dance at all. He’s got two left feet.
Other ways to say: Very clumsy, not smooth
Fun Fact/Origin: From the idea that having two left feet would make walking or dancing hard.
Usage: Used for someone who moves awkwardly or keeps making mistakes.
27. Walking disaster
Meaning: Someone who always causes accidents or messes
Example Sentence:
• He spilled juice, broke a plate, and lost his phone—he’s a walking disaster.
• I forgot my books and dropped my lunch. Total walking disaster today.
Other ways to say: Messy person, full of bad luck
Fun Fact/Origin: Common in American TV comedies
Usage: Used in a fun way when someone’s day keeps going wrong.
28. Blow up in your face
Meaning: A plan fails badly
Example Sentence:
• I tried to surprise her, but it blew up in my face.
• His shortcut blew up in his face and took longer.
Other ways to say: Backfired, went wrong
Fun Fact/Origin: From old war slang.
Usage: Used when a plan turns out worse than expected.
29. Fall flat
Meaning: Completely fail
Example Sentence:
• My joke fell flat. No one laughed.
• Their big idea fell flat when nobody liked it.
Other ways to say: Flopped, didn’t work
Fun Fact/Origin: A “flat” sound is dull—like something failing.
Usage: Used when an attempt doesn’t succeed.
30. Go south
Meaning: Get worse quickly
Example Sentence:
• Things went south after we lost the directions.
• The game went south once we lost our best player.
Other ways to say: Turn bad, fall apart
Fun Fact/Origin: Possibly from maps, where “south” means going down.
Usage: Used when things quickly start going wrong.
31. Miss the boat
Meaning: Miss a chance or opportunity
Example Sentence:
• I forgot to sign up for the trip. I missed the boat.
• She missed the boat on buying tickets—they’re all gone.
Other ways to say: Lost a chance, too late
Fun Fact/Origin: From the days when boats were a main way to travel.
Usage: Used when someone is too late for something good.
32. Left high and dry
Meaning: Left without help or support
Example Sentence:
• My ride left early and I was stuck—left high and dry.
• She was left high and dry when the team didn’t show up.
Other ways to say: Abandoned, left behind
Fun Fact/Origin: From boats getting stuck on shore when the tide goes out.
Usage: Used when someone is stuck or stranded without help.
33. Get the boot
Meaning: Get fired or kicked out
Example Sentence:
• He got the boot from the club for being late.
• She got the boot from the team after missing practice.
Other ways to say: Kicked out, let go
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from being “booted” out the door.
Usage: Used when someone is removed from something.
34. Out of the frying pan into the fire
Meaning: Move from one bad situation into a worse one
Example Sentence:
• He quit one tough job for a worse one—out of the frying pan into the fire.
• Switching teams didn’t help—it was just more stress.
Other ways to say: From bad to worse
Fun Fact/Origin: A very old saying used in fables and stories.
Usage: Used when a choice leads to more trouble.
35. Have a rough patch
Meaning: Go through a hard time
Example Sentence:
• She’s been having a rough patch since the move.
• The school year started with a rough patch for him.
Other ways to say: Going through struggles, tough times
Fun Fact/Origin: “Patch” refers to a hard part of the road or life.
Usage: Describes a short time of bad luck or problems.
36. Hit rock bottom
Meaning: Reach the lowest point
Example Sentence:
• He hit rock bottom after losing his job and getting sick.
• Her mood hit rock bottom after that bad test.
Other ways to say: Lowest point, no lower to go
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from mining or digging—when there’s nowhere lower to dig.
Usage: Used when someone is in their worst moment.
37. Take a hit
Meaning: Suffer damage or loss
Example Sentence:
• My grade took a hit after I missed the test.
• The store took a hit during the storm.
Other ways to say: Got worse, suffered
Fun Fact/Origin: From sports or battle where someone gets struck.
Usage: Used when something suffers damage or loss.
38. Lose your shirt
Meaning: Lose a lot of money
Example Sentence:
• He lost his shirt trying to sell lemonade on a cold day.
• She bet on the wrong team and lost her shirt.
Other ways to say: Lose big, went broke
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from gambling—losing even your clothes.
Usage: Used when someone loses everything, especially money.
Quiz: Idioms About Bad Luck
Instructions: Choose the best answer that matches the meaning of each idiom about bad luck. Each question has only one correct answer.
Question Key
1. What does “just my luck” mean?
A) Something good happened
B) Something unlucky happened to me
C) I forgot something on purpose
2. If someone is “jinxed,” what does it mean?
A) They are very lucky
B) They always win
C) They keep having bad luck
3. What does “draw the short straw” mean?
A) Get chosen for something bad
B) Pick the longest item
C) Win a prize
4. When someone says they “missed the boat,” what do they mean?
A) They missed the water ride
B) They missed a chance
C) They were early
5. What does it mean to “fall flat”?
A) Something went well
B) Something was funny
C) Something failed
6. If your plan “blows up in your face,” what happened?
A) It worked great
B) It failed badly
C) It made a loud noise
7. What does “out of luck” mean?
A) You are very lucky
B) You are all out of chances
C) You forgot something
8. If someone “has two left feet,” what does that mean?
A) They are a fast runner
B) They love to dance
C) They are clumsy
9. What does “black cloud over someone” mean?
A) They love the rain
B) They have good weather
C) They keep having bad luck
10. If someone “loses their shirt,” what happened?
A) They lost their clothes
B) They lost a lot of money
C) They gave away their shirt
11. What does “a run of bad luck” mean?
A) One small problem
B) A group of lucky events
C) Many unlucky things in a row
12. What does “rain on your parade” mean?
A) To make something fun
B) To ruin a happy moment
C) To enjoy good weather
13. What does it mean to “hit rock bottom”?
A) Find a cool rock
B) Be the best at something
C) Reach the lowest point in a bad time
Answer Key
- B – Something unlucky happened to me
- C – They keep having bad luck
- A – Get chosen for something bad
- B – They missed a chance
- C – Something failed
- B – It failed badly
- B – You are all out of chances
- C – They are clumsy
- C – They keep having bad luck
- B – They lost a lot of money
- C – Many unlucky things in a row
- B – To ruin a happy moment
- C – Reach the lowest point in a bad time
Wrapping Up
Idioms about bad luck help people in the USA talk about hard times in a simple and fun way. They make language more interesting. Whether you’re having a rough day or just want to learn, these phrases are helpful.
Try using one or two in your everyday talk. It can make your English sound more natural and friendly.
