1
a
: degree or measure of succeeding
b
: favorable or desired outcome
also
: the attainment of wealth, favor, or eminence
2
: one that succeeds
Examples of success in a Sentence
An enormous popular and critical success, The Liars' Club was credited with (or blamed for) launching a new wave of memoir-writing. (Karr deflects this accusation: "I think memoir started with St. Augustine," she told Salon in 1997.)
—
Mollie Wilson O'Reilly, Commonweal, 23 Oct. 2009
Fred tries to keep up his end of the conversation, but without much success; he has never grown bulbs, cooked veal, seen a film by Fassbinder, etc. He feels provincial and out of it …
—Alison Lurie, Foreign Affairs, 2006
Since I was interested in finding out about the successes as well as the failures disabled women experience in the world, I interviewed women who had some work experience, although it was often part-time work and sometimes interrupted.
—Mary Grimley Mason, Working Against Odds, 2004
The necessaries of life for man in this climate may, accurately enough, be distributed under the several heads of Food, Shelter, Clothing, and Fuel; for not till we have secured these are we prepared to entertain the true problems of life with freedom and a prospect of success.
—Henry David Thoreau, Walden, 1854
Success came easily to him.
She is country music's most recent success.
The growth of the tourism industry is one of the city's great successes.
Mollie Wilson O'Reilly, Commonweal, 23 Oct. 2009
Fred tries to keep up his end of the conversation, but without much success; he has never grown bulbs, cooked veal, seen a film by Fassbinder, etc. He feels provincial and out of it …
—Alison Lurie, Foreign Affairs, 2006
Since I was interested in finding out about the successes as well as the failures disabled women experience in the world, I interviewed women who had some work experience, although it was often part-time work and sometimes interrupted.
—Mary Grimley Mason, Working Against Odds, 2004
The necessaries of life for man in this climate may, accurately enough, be distributed under the several heads of Food, Shelter, Clothing, and Fuel; for not till we have secured these are we prepared to entertain the true problems of life with freedom and a prospect of success.
—Henry David Thoreau, Walden, 1854
Success came easily to him.
She is country music's most recent success.
The growth of the tourism industry is one of the city's great successes.
Recent Examples on the Web
Ole Miss had success against Root for the second time this season.
—Matt Jones, Arkansas Online, 24 May 2025
There is an even spread of success and failure, of ethnicities and inherited dysfunction, along with a predictable checklist of social problems endemic to deprivation.
—Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline, 23 May 2025
Celebrating success can reinforce morale, build confidence and remind people of what’s working, even when external circumstances feel shaky.
—Irma Becerra, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
Schwarber, despite all of his additional success this season, is staying humble and only focusing on this year for the Phillies.
—Drew Vonscio, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for success
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Matt Jones, Arkansas Online, 24 May 2025
There is an even spread of success and failure, of ethnicities and inherited dysfunction, along with a predictable checklist of social problems endemic to deprivation.
—Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline, 23 May 2025
Celebrating success can reinforce morale, build confidence and remind people of what’s working, even when external circumstances feel shaky.
—Irma Becerra, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
Schwarber, despite all of his additional success this season, is staying humble and only focusing on this year for the Phillies.
—Drew Vonscio, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for success
Cite this Entry
“Success.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/success. Accessed 28 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
success
noun
suc·cess
sək-ˈses 
1
a
: degree or measure of succeeding
b
: satisfactory completion of something
c
: the gaining of wealth, respect, or fame
2
: a person or thing that succeeds
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