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, orthatThey 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
For them, life consists of unhappy homes and the short walks between them.
—
Ben Taub, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
Other business owners unhappy All this has angered other building owners and businesses, who spoke to KDKA but declined to appear on camera.
—Andy Sheehan, CBS News, 21 Nov. 2025
Galbutt's ad campaign builds on messaging from Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner on social media, which was directed at city residents unhappy with the election results.
—Greg Allen, NPR, 21 Nov. 2025
The 64-year-old former Middlesbrough manager who was also assistant to Alex Ferguson at Manchester United and had an unhappy spell as England boss, took over Jamaica in July, 2024.
—Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 19 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unhappy
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show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Ben Taub, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
Other business owners unhappy All this has angered other building owners and businesses, who spoke to KDKA but declined to appear on camera.
—Andy Sheehan, CBS News, 21 Nov. 2025
Galbutt's ad campaign builds on messaging from Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner on social media, which was directed at city residents unhappy with the election results.
—Greg Allen, NPR, 21 Nov. 2025
The 64-year-old former Middlesbrough manager who was also assistant to Alex Ferguson at Manchester United and had an unhappy spell as England boss, took over Jamaica in July, 2024.
—Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 19 Nov. 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 28 Nov. 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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