unhappy
adjective
un·hap·py
ˌən-ˈha-pē 
1
: not fortunate : unlucky
an unhappy coincidence
3
a
: causing or subject to misfortune : inauspicious
b
: infelicitous, inappropriate
an unhappy choice
unhappiness
noun
Examples of unhappy in a Sentence
I can see that he's unhappy, but I don't know why.
I've never seen her looking so unhappy.
For three unhappy days we were all stuck in the house because of the blizzard.
an unhappy choice of career
The movie's hero meets an unhappy fate.
Recent Examples on the Web
The universal love is the applause, either heard in person or received from afar, a love reinforced by the sense of an instant, intimate family—a life backstage or in the trailer, far more interesting than the often unhappy family left behind.
—
Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025
According to PeerK12, the parents were unhappy with the delay but expected some action to be taken when school started this year.
—Marsha Sutton, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Oct. 2025
La Liga sides did not start play for the opening 15 seconds of matches after the Spanish Footballers’ Association (AFE) said on Friday the players were unhappy with the league’s plans to stage Villarreal’s home match against Barcelona, scheduled for December 20, in Miami, Florida.
—Colin Millar, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025
Mold on berries and food storage safety violations that caused a plethora of deli counter food to be trashed made for an unhappy state inspection at a Miami Fresh Market.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unhappy
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Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025
According to PeerK12, the parents were unhappy with the delay but expected some action to be taken when school started this year.
—Marsha Sutton, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Oct. 2025
La Liga sides did not start play for the opening 15 seconds of matches after the Spanish Footballers’ Association (AFE) said on Friday the players were unhappy with the league’s plans to stage Villarreal’s home match against Barcelona, scheduled for December 20, in Miami, Florida.
—Colin Millar, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025
Mold on berries and food storage safety violations that caused a plethora of deli counter food to be trashed made for an unhappy state inspection at a Miami Fresh Market.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unhappy
Cite this Entry
“Unhappy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unhappy. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unhappy
adjective
un·hap·py
ˌən-ˈhap-ē
1
: not fortunate : unlucky
an unhappy mistake
2
: not cheerful : sad
3
: inappropriate
an unhappy color combination
unhappily
adverb
-ˈhap-ə-lē
unhappiness
noun
-ˈhap-i-nəs
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