unhappy
adjective
un·hap·py
ˌən-ˈha-pē 
1
: not fortunate : unlucky
an unhappy coincidence
3
a
: causing or subject to misfortune : inauspicious
b
: infelicitous, inappropriate
an unhappy choice
unhappiness
noun
Examples of unhappy in a Sentence
I can see that he's unhappy, but I don't know why.
I've never seen her looking so unhappy.
For three unhappy days we were all stuck in the house because of the blizzard.
an unhappy choice of career
The movie's hero meets an unhappy fate.
Recent Examples on the Web
Kraft had strong leads among some voting groups polled, the poll showed, including Republicans, voters who disapprove of Boston’s sanctuary city status, those unhappy with Boston’s quality of life, and those prioritizing government spending/taxes.
—
Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 1 May 2025
Sonya can be competitive about who is more unhappy.
—Jason Zinoman, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
Among those Americans unhappy with the cuts to the federal government, Musk has only a 6% approval rating, while 89% disapprove.
—Catherine Arnst, Quartz, 28 Apr. 2025
When people were unhappy at work, this urgency pushed them toward action — seeking solutions and gathering information to move to problem-solving.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unhappy
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Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 1 May 2025
Sonya can be competitive about who is more unhappy.
—Jason Zinoman, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
Among those Americans unhappy with the cuts to the federal government, Musk has only a 6% approval rating, while 89% disapprove.
—Catherine Arnst, Quartz, 28 Apr. 2025
When people were unhappy at work, this urgency pushed them toward action — seeking solutions and gathering information to move to problem-solving.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unhappy
Cite this Entry
“Unhappy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unhappy. Accessed 9 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unhappy
adjective
un·hap·py
ˌən-ˈhap-ē
1
: not fortunate : unlucky
an unhappy mistake
2
: not cheerful : sad
3
: inappropriate
an unhappy color combination
unhappily
adverb
-ˈhap-ə-lē
unhappiness
noun
-ˈhap-i-nəs
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