1
as in sad
feeling unhappiness
he's been unhappy ever since his family's move, which took him away from all his friends
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unfortunate
having, prone to, or marked by bad luck
she's trying to forget that whole unhappy attempt to start a business
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in unsuitable
not appropriate for a particular occasion or situation
a guest unintentionally made unhappy reference to what is a painful situation for the family
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unhappy
Even storybook seasons aren’t immune to unhappy endings.
—
Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 25 Mar. 2026
In other words, if anyone looks unhappy, that’s bad.
—Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026
But there are so many other parts of Nigeria, unhappy in their union, who would also want that privilege.
—Obi Anyadike, semafor.com, 23 Mar. 2026
In the long sweep of Jewish history, the idea of being smoothly integrated into the wider world stands as a brief period, and one with a substantially unhappy history.
—Adam Kirsch, The Atlantic, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unhappy
Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 25 Mar. 2026
In other words, if anyone looks unhappy, that’s bad.
—Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026
But there are so many other parts of Nigeria, unhappy in their union, who would also want that privilege.
—Obi Anyadike, semafor.com, 23 Mar. 2026
In the long sweep of Jewish history, the idea of being smoothly integrated into the wider world stands as a brief period, and one with a substantially unhappy history.
—Adam Kirsch, The Atlantic, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unhappy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unhappy
Adjective
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One of the saddest bits of it, actually!—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Sister Jean would pass away at age 106 this past October, a sad metaphor for the fate of Cinderella.—
Greg Cote
Updated March 23,
Miami Herald,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
That house has a history of unfortunate events, including the fate of Cookie, an errant heiress and her pooch.—
Pat Beall,
Sun Sentinel,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The start of 2026 has been a series of unfortunate events for Michelle Harris and her family.—
Monique John,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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He was accused of creating spectacle and of designing spaces unsuitable for art.—
Norman Foster,
Artforum,
26 Mar. 2026
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Goan cobras are migrating to new and unsuitable habitats by train.—
Rafil Kroll-Zaidi,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Single bunnies can be lonely and depressed.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
30 Mar. 2026
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There was also research, which Meta eventually halted, implying that people who curbed their use of Facebook became less depressed and anxious.—
Jonathan Vanian,
CNBC,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Duke appeared to be too much for the Huskies, who went more than five minutes without scoring during a disastrous first-half stretch to fall behind, 44-25.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
30 Mar. 2026
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And years later, when the group splintered into increasingly militant factions, some took part in a disastrous bank robbery that killed an innocent guard and two police officers—three men who were just doing their jobs that day, and who left behind their own kids, their own families.—
Zayd Ayers Dohrn,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Making matters worse, the Blueprint is wholly inappropriate for many of Maryland’s counties.—
Chris Roemer,
Baltimore Sun,
26 Mar. 2026
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As City Hall contracted with Washington’s organization, emails detailing allegations of inappropriate behavior followed, The Star found.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Or a miserable 48 in the case of the Rangers, still simmering in Philadelphia.—
Kevin Sherrington
Mar. 27,
Dallas Morning News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Their home is huge and elegant, but also maze-like, miserable, and allergic to light.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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If that doesn't open your eyes in law enforcement, something's wrong with you.—
Lauren Clark,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
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Both assumptions are increasingly wrong.—
Brian Barlow,
Fortune,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unhappy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unhappy. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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