1
as in prosperous
having attained a desired end or state of good fortune
the play had a successful run on Broadway
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in thriving
marked by vigorous growth and well-being especially economically
sold their successful dry-cleaning business and retired to Hawaii
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of successful
In terms of safety, U-Boat Worx’s track record includes 20 years in business, 60 subs in operation around the world, and more than 10,000 successful dives.
—
J. George Gorant, Robb Report, 6 June 2025
Teitelbaum was one of a group of homeschooling parents who gathered at the state Capitol Wednesday, where lawmakers and advocates praised them for their successful advocacy against state regulations for homeschooling.
—Emilia Otte, Hartford Courant, 6 June 2025
During the meeting – which centered around the Ukraine war, as well as defense spending and tariffs – Trump expressed doubt that peace talks between the warring countries would be successful, The Guardian reported.
—Sam Gillette, People.com, 5 June 2025
This issue has had many pushes but has never been fully successful.
—Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 25 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for successful
J. George Gorant, Robb Report, 6 June 2025
Teitelbaum was one of a group of homeschooling parents who gathered at the state Capitol Wednesday, where lawmakers and advocates praised them for their successful advocacy against state regulations for homeschooling.
—Emilia Otte, Hartford Courant, 6 June 2025
During the meeting – which centered around the Ukraine war, as well as defense spending and tariffs – Trump expressed doubt that peace talks between the warring countries would be successful, The Guardian reported.
—Sam Gillette, People.com, 5 June 2025
This issue has had many pushes but has never been fully successful.
—Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 25 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for successful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for successful
Adjective
-
The back half of Barbarian takes us back to 1981, a more prosperous time for the neighborhood.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
1 June 2025
-
Keep in mind the child has time on his/her side to pay for the loan, save for retirement and enjoy an overall prosperous life, while the parent will run out of time much sooner to pay for retirement.—
David Kudla,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
Adjective
-
This includes tech startups like Queen One, which just signed a 10-year lease for its new headquarters in Williamsburg, joining a thriving innovation ecosystem in Brooklyn and contributing to New York City’s status as the applied AI capital of the world.—
Adolfo Carrión Jr,
New York Daily News,
8 June 2025
-
Once a thriving port city, Ephesus is thought to have been originally settled around 1200 BCE, towards the end of the Bronze age.—
Michael Goldstein,
Forbes.com,
7 June 2025
Adjective
-
No one would dare predict that an American man is going to be lifting the Coupe des Mousquetaires June 8, but the current generation of American twenty-somethings is still taking promising baby steps in the City of Light.—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
1 June 2025
-
New studies presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, or ASCO, in the last few days offer promising findings for both pharmaceutical and lifestyle interventions, including the impact of diet and exercise.—
Deidre McPhillips,
CNN Money,
1 June 2025
Adjective
-
The 68-year-old entrepreneur, who built his education empire over more than four decades from just one school with 350 students, sees this as a golden chance to revive his ambitions to scale up the GEMS network of 92 schools in eight countries.—
Anu Raghunathan,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2025
-
Mounting a Swiss automatic movement visible through the sapphire crystal caseback showcasing also the soccer team’s insignia, the timepiece, accented with golden details, is set on an alligator strap.—
Martino Carrera,
Footwear News,
4 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Successful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/successful. Accessed 14 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share