unsuccessful

adjective

un·​suc·​cess·​ful ˌən-sək-ˈses-fəl How to pronounce unsuccessful (audio)
Synonyms of unsuccessfulnext
: not successful : not meeting with or producing success
unsuccessfully
ˌən-sək-ˈses-fə-lē How to pronounce unsuccessful (audio)
adverb

Synonyms of unsuccessful

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Examples of unsuccessful in a Sentence

His last novel was unsuccessful. an unsuccessful attempt to fix the faucet ourselves
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
An attempt to reach company executives on Monday was unsuccessful. — Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2026 Not because the technology wasn’t good, but because the cultural translation was unsuccessful. — Salvador Ordorica, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026 Trump had brought unsuccessful lawsuits alleging extensive fraud by Fulton County election officials in the 2020 Presidential election. — Barton Gellman, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2026 Dean Riley, 62, was pronounced dead at Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise after lifesaving measures were unsuccessful, according to the coroner’s office. — Harllie Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 23 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unsuccessful

Word History

First Known Use

1617, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unsuccessful was in 1617

Phrases Containing unsuccessful

Rhymes for unsuccessful

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Browse Nearby Words

unsuccess
unsuccessful
unsuccessfully
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Cite this Entry

“Unsuccessful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unsuccessful. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

unsuccessful

adjective
un·​suc·​cess·​ful ˌən(t)-sək-ˈses-fəl How to pronounce unsuccessful (audio)
: not successful : not having or producing success
unsuccessfully
-fə-lē How to pronounce unsuccessful (audio)
adverb
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