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.
Attempts to reach Neal on Friday were unsuccessful. — Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2026 Officials said the dog's owner attempted to use bear spray while retreating from the area but was unsuccessful. — Richard Ramos, CBS News, 28 June 2026 Hanna devoted much of it to his unsuccessful effort to force the state to disclose records about its lethal-injection protocol. — Pamela Colloff, ProPublica, 30 June 2026 Unions made various attempts to stop the return-to-office order from going into effect before July 1, but those were unsuccessful. — William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 1 July 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 7 Jul. 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

More from Merriam-Webster on unsuccessful

Nglish: Translation of unsuccessful for Spanish Speakers

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