unsuccessful
adjective
un·suc·cess·ful
ˌən-sək-ˈses-fəl 
: not successful : not meeting with or producing success
Examples of unsuccessful in a Sentence
His last novel was unsuccessful.
an unsuccessful attempt to fix the faucet ourselves
Recent Examples on the Web
Japanese police trudged through deep mud on Thursday in another unsuccessful day searching for a missing Auburn University student, who vanished after an argument with family over artificial intelligence.
—
David K. Li, NBC news, 4 June 2026
Efforts to reach Bronstein for comment on Stone’s claims were unsuccessful Thursday.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 4 June 2026
Three Republican absences also helped deliver the breakthrough after seven previous unsuccessful votes.
—Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 3 June 2026
For candidates who have experienced an unsuccessful match cycle, Residents Medical provides structured re-entry pathways that treat the setback as data.
—Lyssanoel Frater, USA Today, 3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for unsuccessful
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David K. Li, NBC news, 4 June 2026
Efforts to reach Bronstein for comment on Stone’s claims were unsuccessful Thursday.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 4 June 2026
Three Republican absences also helped deliver the breakthrough after seven previous unsuccessful votes.
—Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 3 June 2026
For candidates who have experienced an unsuccessful match cycle, Residents Medical provides structured re-entry pathways that treat the setback as data.
—Lyssanoel Frater, USA Today, 3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for unsuccessful
Cite this Entry
“Unsuccessful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unsuccessful. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unsuccessful
adjective
un·suc·cess·ful
ˌən(t)-sək-ˈses-fəl
: not successful : not having or producing success
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