NONSUCCESS Synonyms: 26 Similar and Opposite Words

nonsuccess

noun

ˌnän-sək-ˈses

Definition of nonsuccess

as in defeat

a falling short of one's goals refused to let the nonsuccess of her bid for a seat in the state senate discourage her from a career in politics

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for nonsuccess

Noun

Two points away from defeat, Ivanisevic rallies to beat Rafter 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 2-6, 9-7 and becomes the second player to win a Wimbledon singles title without being seeded.

— Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
That film culminated in the brutal defeat of House Atreides by rival House Harkonnen, with Paul and his mother, Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), fleeing to the desert and taking refuge among the Fremen.

— Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 9 July 2026

Definition of defeat

Noun

But analysts such as London and Malick don’t see anything coming as severe as the housing collapse that triggered the 2008 Great Recession, or even very much negative about the current situation.

— Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 July 2026
Friday’s national collapse of the electricity system is the fourth this year.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026

Definition of collapse

Noun

Any actions against those responsible for the structural failure are pending the results of the ongoing investigation, the Department of Buildings said earlier this week.

— Gloria Pazmino, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
The notion of remaining in your childhood home well into your adult years carries an enduring stigma, suggesting a failure to launch.

— Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 11 July 2026

Definition of failure

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

nonstop

nonsuccess

nonsuccesses

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Nonsuccess.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nonsuccess. Accessed 13 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of nonsuccess

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

implacable

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes