Fluke
/fluːk/
nounB2
Definition
A fluke is when something happens by pure luck or chance, not because of skill or planning. It usually means a surprising or rare event that turns out well or differently than expected.
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See It in Action
A lucky chance event
- •It was a fluke that I found my lost keys in the park.
- •Winning the game was just a fluke; I didn’t practice at all.
- •The team’s victory was a fluke because the other team made many mistakes.
(Biology) A type of flat fish found in the ocean (less common meaning)
- •The fisherman caught a fluke near the shore.
- •Flukes live on the ocean floor and are hard to see.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "fluke" like "luck," but more about a surprising or rare lucky event that you didn’t expect at all.
- ✓Picture catching a big fish by accident when you didn’t mean to—this surprise catch is a fluke.
- ✓It’s the feeling when you win a game without really trying or when something good happens suddenly and unexpectedly.
- ✓Sounds like "fluke" → imagine a lucky fish (called a fluke) jumping into your hands by chance.
- ✓In stories, a character might win a difficult challenge by a fluke, meaning it was mostly luck, not skill.
- ✓NOT like "skill" (something you learn and practice); a fluke is not because of ability but chance.
- ✓NOT like "plan" (careful thinking); a fluke happens without planning.
- ✓NOT like "accident" (which can be bad or neutral); a fluke usually means a lucky or good accident.
Try Other Words
- •Chance: something that happens without planning (Use when focusing on randomness, not necessarily good or bad)
- •Accident: an unplanned event (Use when the event can be good or bad, but less about luck)
- •Coincidence: two things happening together by chance (Use when emphasizing timing, not luck)
- •Luck: good things happening by chance (Use when the event is positive but not necessarily surprising)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: (no clear prefix or suffix; "fluke" is a simple root word)
- •Etymology: Possibly from Middle English or Old Norse, originally meaning a flatfish; later used for lucky chance events
- •Historical development: First meant a type of fish; by the 19th century, started meaning a lucky or accidental event
- •Modern usage: Commonly used to describe surprising good luck, especially in sports, games, or unexpected success
Reflect & Connect
•Can a fluke sometimes lead to long-term success, or is it always just a one-time lucky event?
•How do people feel differently about success when it is called a fluke versus when it is called skill?
Fill in the blanks
1.It was a fluke that they won the match because their opponents made many ___ mistakes.
2.Sometimes a fluke happens when you least ___ it, surprising everyone.
3.Unlike skill, a fluke does not come from practice but from pure ___.
4.The player’s goal was a fluke; he didn’t plan or ___ to score like that.
5.People often say "just a fluke" to explain a ___ success.
6.Catching the rare fish was a fluke, meaning it happened by ___.
7.When something good happens by fluke, it usually cannot be ___ again easily.