unsuccessful

adjective

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

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.
Neighbors attempted to rescue her but were unsuccessful, the sheriff’s office said. Nour Rahal, Freep.com, 5 Aug. 2025 The current governor of Virginia, Glenn Youngkin, is a close ally of Trump, frequently appearing on the 2024 campaign trail with the then-candidate amid a push to try to flip Virginia red, which was unsuccessful yet yielded a close race. Zach Lachance, The Washington Examiner, 4 Aug. 2025 The brothers reportedly offered their attacker a hot dog in exchange for a peaceful exit, but their efforts were unsuccessful. Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 4 Aug. 2025 Joe Raedle/Getty Images Loomer was unsuccessful in two separate congressional campaigns in Florida: one in 2020 and another in 2022. Nick Mordowanec, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Aug. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unsuccessful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unsuccessful. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.

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 adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on unsuccessful

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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