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.
But Betancur is more than a successful entrepreneur. Liz Rothaus Bertrand, Charlotte Observer, 7 Jan. 2026 Yes, last season — the one that earned Rob Blake a pink slip — was tied for the most successful in franchise history, in terms of regular-season wins. Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026 South African billionaire Motsepe — who owns one of Africa’s most successful clubs, Mamelodi Sundowns — was first elected CAF president in 2021 on the promise of making African football globally competitive. Martin K.n Siele, semafor.com, 6 Jan. 2026 Corona del Mar’s successful final shot took away a magnificent performance from Los Alamitos sophomore Isaiah Williamson, who finished with 26 points. Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 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 13 Jan. 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

More from Merriam-Webster on successful

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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