- [countable] a large amount of money
- He made a fortune in real estate.
- Her father made his fortune selling electronics.
- She inherited a share of the family fortune.
- A car like that costs a small fortune (= a lot of money).
- You don't have to spend a fortune to give your family tasty, healthy meals.
- She is hoping her US debut will be the first step on the road to fame and fortune.
- He amassed a fortune of nearly $2 billion.
- She devoted a large part of her personal fortune to ensuring the company's survival.
Extra ExamplesTopics Moneyb2- That ring must be worth a fortune.
- He built his fortune from breeding horses.
- He has amassed a considerable fortune out of trading shares.
- He lost his fortune in the crash of 1929.
- Her aunt died and left her a fortune.
- They sold their house at the right time and made a fortune on it.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- considerable
- enormous
- great
- …
- accumulate
- acquire
- amass
- …
- hunter
- fortune from
- fortune in
- fortune on
- …
- fame and fortune
- heir to a fortune
- heiress to a fortune
- …
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- [uncountable] chance or luck, especially in the way it affects people’s lives
- I have had the good fortune to work with some brilliant directors.
- By a stroke of fortune he found work almost immediately.
- Fortune smiled on me (= I had good luck).
Extra Examples- A horseshoe nailed to your door is supposed to bring good fortune.
- As good fortune would have it, a bus came along just when I needed it.
- For once, fortune was on our side: the weather improved in time for the game.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- good
- bad
- ill
- …
- piece
- stroke
- have
- bring (somebody)
- be on somebody’s side
- favour/favor somebody
- smile on somebody
- …
- as good fortune would have it
- a change in fortune
- a change of fortune
- …
- [countable, usually plural, uncountable] the good and bad things that happen to a person, family, country, etc.
- The share price tends to follow the changing fortunes of the film industry.
- the fortunes of war
- The company suffered a great reversal of fortune when public taste changed.
Extra Examples- The party still hopes to revive its flagging electoral fortunes.
- The team had a dramatic reversal of fortunes in the second half.
- a year of mixed fortunes for the company
- fans who follow the fortunes of their chosen team
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- declining
- flagging
- changing
- …
- boost
- improve
- revive
- …
- change
- fluctuate
- improve
- …
- a reversal of fortune
- a reversal of fortunes
- [countable] a person’s fate or future
- She can tell your fortune by looking at the lines on your hand.
- They went to have their fortunes read.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverb + fortune- read
- tell
- teller
- telling
see also soldier of fortune
Word OriginMiddle English: via Old French from Latin Fortuna, the name of a goddess personifying luck or chance.
Idioms
See fortune in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee fortune in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englisha hostage to fortune
- something that you have, or have promised to do, that could cause trouble or worry in the future
seek your fortune
- (literary) to try to find a way to become rich, especially by going to another place
- Many emigrated to Australia to seek their fortune.
Check pronunciation:
fortune