successful

adjective

suc·​cess·​ful sək-ˈses-fəl How to pronounce successful (audio)
1
: resulting or terminating in success
a successful attempt
2
: gaining or having gained success
a successful investor
successfully adverb
successfulness noun

Examples of successful in a Sentence

the play had a successful run on Broadway sold their successful dry-cleaning business and retired to Hawaii
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.
This issue has had many pushes but has never been fully successful. Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 25 May 2025 The most successful family offices don’t wait until everything is perfect. Francois Botha, Forbes.com, 25 May 2025 The mission is successful, giving members in and outside of the Resistance a reason to hope again, knowing the Empire has vulnerabilities that can be exploited. — As seen on Andor. Nick Romano, EW.com, 25 May 2025 This system inevitably favors rich, already successful teams. Luke Cyphers, Sportico.com, 25 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for successful

Word History

First Known Use

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of successful was in 1594

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Cite this Entry

“Successful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/successful. Accessed 28 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

successful

adjective
suc·​cess·​ful sək-ˈses-fəl How to pronounce successful (audio)
1
: resulting or ending in success
2
: gaining or having gained success
successfully adverb
successfulness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on successful

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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