Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Resulting from or influenced by chance rather than planning or inherent qualities: Describes something that happens by a fortunate accident or a lucky stroke, often implying unpredictability.
   • Unreliable or subject to sudden change: Describes something that is irregular, capricious, or not dependable.

Usage and Examples

• As an adjective:
  • His victory was entirely fluky; he scored the winning goal with a lucky deflection.
  • The weather has been very fluky this week, with sudden sunshine followed by heavy rain.
  • Getting that job was a fluky opportunity that came from a chance meeting.

Advanced Usage and Nuances

• "a fluky wind": A wind that is gusty, shifting, and unpredictable.
  • The sailors struggled with the fluky winds in the channel.
• The term often carries a slightly informal or colloquial tone and can imply that a positive outcome was not earned through skill or merit.

Variants and Related Words

• Fluke (noun): A stroke of luck; a chance occurrence, especially a fortunate one.
  • Winning the lottery was a complete fluke.
• Flukey (adjective): An alternative spelling of "fluky".
• Flukily (adverb): In a fluky manner; by chance.
  • He flukily discovered the error.

Synonyms

• Chance: Occurring by accident.
• Fortuitous: Happening by a lucky chance.
• Iffy: Uncertain or doubtful.
• Chancy: Involving risk or uncertainty.

Antonyms

• Predictable: Able to be foreseen.
• Reliable: Consistently good in quality or performance.
• Certain: Known for sure; established beyond doubt.

Idioms and Phrases

• A fluky shot/win: A success achieved more by luck than by skill.
  • The tennis player admitted his match point was a fluky shot that clipped the net.

Adjective

1. subject to accident or chance or change
   • a chancy appeal at best
   • getting that job was definitely fluky
   • a fluky wind
   • an iffy proposition