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

successfully

sək-ˈses-fə-lē 

adverb

successfulness noun

Synonyms of successful

• prosperous
• thriving

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

More recently, the changes have been to spice up an already successful formula. — William Earl, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026

That could be enough to serve as the bedrock for a successful career, though presumably lower in an NHL club’s lineup. — Peter Baugh, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026

The law imposes penalties on cities that fail to comply with state housing laws, allows successful housing applicants to recover their legal fees, and prevents cities from requiring developers to agree to certain liability rules. — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 25 Aug. 2026

Major studio activations help drive the visibility and energy that make the event successful. — U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for successful

• distressful
• stressful
• unsuccessful

Kids Definition

successful

adjective

suc·​cess·​ful sək-ˈses-fəl 

1

: resulting or ending in success

2

: gaining or having gained success

successfully

-fə-lē 

adverb

successfulness noun