unhappy
adjective
un·hap·py
ˌən-ˈha-pē 
1
a
: not cheerful or glad : sad, wretched
didn't know why the child was so unhappy
I left the store an unhappy [=dissatisfied] customer.
—often used with with, about, or thatThey were unhappy with the way things turned out.
The children were unhappy about going back to school.
I'm unhappy that my best friend is moving.
b
: causing or involving feelings of sadness : not pleasant or joyful
an unhappy marriage/childhood
spent several unhappy hours stuck at the airport
2
: not fortunate : unlucky
an unhappy coincidence
3
a
: causing or subject to misfortune : inauspicious
a particularly unhappy moment for the story to leak
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
Users are quite unhappy when harness engineering is done poorly or flounders.
—
Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
The building has remained incomplete for years and locals are unhappy with the slow progress.
—Shaddi Abusaid, AJC.com, 18 June 2026
The challenges facing the industry Even as demand grows, co-living operators are navigating real headwinds, including unhappy tenants, increased legal scrutiny and a shortage of viable sites.
—Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 17 June 2026
The industry is facing stiff headwinds, including unhappy tenants, increased legal scrutiny and a shortage of suitable sites.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for unhappy
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Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
The building has remained incomplete for years and locals are unhappy with the slow progress.
—Shaddi Abusaid, AJC.com, 18 June 2026
The challenges facing the industry Even as demand grows, co-living operators are navigating real headwinds, including unhappy tenants, increased legal scrutiny and a shortage of viable sites.
—Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 17 June 2026
The industry is facing stiff headwinds, including unhappy tenants, increased legal scrutiny and a shortage of suitable sites.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for unhappy
Cite this Entry
“Unhappy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unhappy. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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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