successful
adjective
suc·cess·ful
sək-ˈses-fəl 
1
: resulting or terminating in success
a successful attempt
2
: gaining or having gained success
a successful investor
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
The country began a starkly successful race for ingenuity and hi-tech to survive; the pace of change and implementation unparalleled in a six-week innovation cycle of the front line – the time in which a new idea for killing appears.
—
Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 24 Feb. 2026
Years or even decades can pass between successful clutches of eggs.
—Charlotte Graham-McLay, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026
The traditional, classical systems that have long proven successful are not necessarily capable of meeting modern needs anymore, which necessitates the use of new technological tools.
—William Jones, Miami Herald, 24 Feb. 2026
Such projects are not always successful, however.
—Sam Meredith, CNBC, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for successful
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.
Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 24 Feb. 2026
Years or even decades can pass between successful clutches of eggs.
—Charlotte Graham-McLay, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026
The traditional, classical systems that have long proven successful are not necessarily capable of meeting modern needs anymore, which necessitates the use of new technological tools.
—William Jones, Miami Herald, 24 Feb. 2026
Such projects are not always successful, however.
—Sam Meredith, CNBC, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for successful
Cite this Entry
“Successful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/successful. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
successful
adjective
suc·cess·ful
sək-ˈses-fəl
1
: resulting or ending in success
2
: gaining or having gained success
successfulness
noun
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
