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
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By then, Vince had reconciled with his biological father, a successful wrestling promoter. Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026 The answer is a successful Mets team suffering from no World Series wins. Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 19 Apr. 2026 Many still pulled off successful events, but acknowledged the mood has shifted. Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2026 The most successful method of control in small gardens is trapping, says Pierce. Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 19 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

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Cite this Entry

“Successful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/successful. Accessed 21 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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