To experience good fortune; to have things turn out well by chance (American English) — or conversely, to be unlucky (British English).
To get really lucky and have something good happen to you — though in British English it can mean the opposite!
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
(American English) To be very fortunate; to have a successful or positive outcome due to luck rather than skill.
"We really lucked out — the rain stopped just as the outdoor concert began."
"We lucked out with the weather."
— Commonly attributed usage in American sports broadcasting and everyday speech; widely documented as standard American English idiom.
(British English) To be unlucky; to miss out on something desirable through bad fortune.
"I lucked out on tickets — they sold out before I got to the counter."
Important regional distinction: in American English, 'luck out' means to be fortunate; in British English, the same phrase can mean to be unlucky or miss out. ESL learners should be aware of this transatlantic difference. American usage is more widely encountered internationally.
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
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