unhappy

adjective

un·​hap·​py ˌən-ˈha-pē 

1

: not fortunate : unlucky

an unhappy coincidence

2

: not cheerful or glad : sad, wretched

3

a

: causing or subject to misfortune : inauspicious

b

: infelicitous, inappropriate

an unhappy choice

unhappiness noun

Synonyms

• bad
• blue
• brokenhearted
• cast down
• crestfallen
• dejected
• depressed
• despondent
• disconsolate
• doleful
• down
• down in the mouth
• downcast
• downhearted
• droopy
• forlorn
• gloomy
• glum
• hangdog
• heartbroken
• heartsick
• heartsore
• heavyhearted
• inconsolable
• joyless
• low
• low-spirited
• melancholic
• melancholy
• miserable
• mournful
• sad
• saddened
• sorrowful
• sorry
• woebegone
• woeful
• wretched

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

Some faculty members are unhappy with Shafik’s decision to call in the New York Police Department to disperse the pro-Palestinian protesters, while others are calling on her to call the police back to clear an encampment on campus. —Chris Morris, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2024

The study quoted providers who were unhappy with attempts to outsource CCM work. —Phil Galewitz, NPR, 17 Apr. 2024

Ultimately, both sides were unhappy with the outcome, according to Variety. —Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 17 Apr. 2024

The scale is comprised of 10 questions related to symptoms of depression, such as feeling unhappy, anxious, or guilty. —Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 15 Apr. 2024

By Molly Cook Escobar Ms. Garcia voted for Mr. Biden four years ago but has been unhappy with his handling of the border, crime, mental health and the rising cost of living. —Ruth Igielnik, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2024

With their properties either destroyed or severely damaged, some are unhappy with the compensation offered by authorities. —Reuters, NBC News, 9 Apr. 2024

While Nirvana’s third album, In Utero, was still gestating, Newsweek ran a piece alleging that DGC was unhappy with it. —Joe Lynch, Billboard, 4 Apr. 2024

The all-pro wide receiver was rumored to be unhappy in Buffalo with tweets some interpreted to be critical of the Bills. —Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids 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

-ˈhap-ə-lē

adverb

unhappiness

-ˈhap-i-nəs

noun