unhappy
adjective
un·hap·py
ˌən-ˈha-pē 
1
a
: not cheerful or glad : sad, wretched
didn't know why the child was so unhappy
I left the store an unhappy [=dissatisfied] customer.
—often used with with,about, orthatThey were unhappy with the way things turned out.
The children were unhappy about going back to school.
I'm unhappy that my best friend is moving.
b
: causing or involving feelings of sadness : not pleasant or joyful
an unhappy marriage/childhood
spent several unhappy hours stuck at the airport
2
: not fortunate : unlucky
an unhappy coincidence
3
a
: causing or subject to misfortune : inauspicious
a particularly unhappy moment for the story to leak
b
: infelicitous, inappropriate
an unhappy choice
unhappiness
noun
Examples of unhappy in a Sentence
I can see that he's unhappy, but I don't know why.
I've never seen her looking so unhappy.
For three unhappy days we were all stuck in the house because of the blizzard.
an unhappy choice of career
The movie's hero meets an unhappy fate.
Recent Examples on the Web
The biggest unknown in the timeline is whether those in the Senate unhappy with the final deal do anything to slow it down.
—
Nik Popli, Time, 10 Nov. 2025
The couple stepped away from full-time royal life in March 2020, unhappy at media scrutiny and the strictures of their roles.
—Janelle Ash, FOXNews.com, 9 Nov. 2025
When ending a relationship means losing not only a partner but also your job or professional standing, the incentive to stay, even in an unhappy situation, is strong.
—Emily Nix, Fortune, 9 Nov. 2025
Donald Trump‘s administration has once again been slammed by an artist for using their music without permission, this time receiving a comment from an unhappy Olivia Rodrigo after the White House and Department of Homeland Security shared a video set to one of her songs.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 7 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unhappy
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Nik Popli, Time, 10 Nov. 2025
The couple stepped away from full-time royal life in March 2020, unhappy at media scrutiny and the strictures of their roles.
—Janelle Ash, FOXNews.com, 9 Nov. 2025
When ending a relationship means losing not only a partner but also your job or professional standing, the incentive to stay, even in an unhappy situation, is strong.
—Emily Nix, Fortune, 9 Nov. 2025
Donald Trump‘s administration has once again been slammed by an artist for using their music without permission, this time receiving a comment from an unhappy Olivia Rodrigo after the White House and Department of Homeland Security shared a video set to one of her songs.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 7 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unhappy
Cite this Entry
“Unhappy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unhappy. Accessed 16 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unhappy
adjective
un·hap·py
ˌən-ˈhap-ē
1
: not fortunate : unlucky
an unhappy mistake
2
: not cheerful : sad
3
: inappropriate
an unhappy color combination
unhappily
adverb
-ˈhap-ə-lē
unhappiness
noun
-ˈhap-i-nəs
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