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
The meeting will be another attempt to approve legislation to fund the government, following seven previous unsuccessful attempts.
—
Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 14 Oct. 2025
But all of the most direct methods of searching for IQ genes were unsuccessful.
—Eric Turkheimer, The Atlantic, 13 Oct. 2025
Efforts to settle the case before trial were unsuccessful.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 13 Oct. 2025
Lake Worth police officers and animal control officers searched the area to find the suspect and the brown pit bull but were unsuccessful, police said.
—Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unsuccessful
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Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 14 Oct. 2025
But all of the most direct methods of searching for IQ genes were unsuccessful.
—Eric Turkheimer, The Atlantic, 13 Oct. 2025
Efforts to settle the case before trial were unsuccessful.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 13 Oct. 2025
Lake Worth police officers and animal control officers searched the area to find the suspect and the brown pit bull but were unsuccessful, police said.
—Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unsuccessful
Cite this Entry
“Unsuccessful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unsuccessful. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.
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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