What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
fortuitous
Example
It was fortuitous that I ran into my old friend at the airport. [fortuitous: adjective]
Example
The discovery of the lost manuscript was a fortuitous event for the historian. [fortuitous: adjective]
serendipitous
Example
The meeting with the publisher was serendipitous, as I had not planned on attending the conference. [serendipitous: adjective]
Example
The discovery of the new species was a serendipitous finding during the research expedition. [serendipitous: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Fortuitous is more commonly used than serendipitous in everyday language, but both words are relatively uncommon.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between fortuitous and serendipitous?
Fortuitous is more formal than serendipitous, which is generally used in informal contexts.
