successful

adjective

suc·​cess·​ful sək-ˈses-fəl How to pronounce successful (audio)
Synonyms of successfulnext
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.
About 65% of Afghans asking for asylum receive protection in Europe, according to the EU Agency for Asylum, which indicates their applications are mostly successful elsewhere in the bloc. ABC News, 14 Apr. 2026 Che Pope, a longtime collaborator and friend of Ye’s, said the man who has done everything from producing some of the biggest names in the industry to launching his own successful fashion brand is simply being himself. Lisa Respers France, CNN Money, 13 Apr. 2026 Despite Punch’s departure, TCU was successful in retaining most of its core from the tournament run with All-Big 12 forward Xavier Edmonds, sophomore forward Micah Robinson and guards Brock Harding and Tanner Toolson all announcing their intentions to return to Fort Worth next season. Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Apr. 2026 With this latest infusion of funds, a successful launch later this year now seems even more likely. ArsTechnica, 13 Apr. 2026 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Successful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/successful. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.

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

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