unsuccessful

adjective

un·​suc·​cess·​ful ˌən-sək-ˈses-fəl How to pronounce unsuccessful (audio)
: not successful : not meeting with or producing success
unsuccessfully adverb

Examples of unsuccessful in a Sentence

His last novel was unsuccessful. an unsuccessful attempt to fix the faucet ourselves
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Each unsuccessful vote will be burned in a furnace with chemicals to dye the plume a black color. Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 2 May 2025 During his unsuccessful 2022 congressional bid, Kent consulted with Nick Fuentes, the young white supremacist, and hired a campaign adviser who was a member of the Proud Boys, a violent far-right group. Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 1 May 2025 Hutchinson had filed numerous unsuccessful appeals, many focused on mental health problems linked to his Army service. CBS News, 1 May 2025 Kane tied it up less than three minutes later, seconds after an unsuccessful Oilers man advantage when his shot from the high slot ricocheted sharply off Vladislav Gavrikov’s left skate. Daniel Nugent-Bowman, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unsuccessful

Word History

First Known Use

1617, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unsuccessful was in 1617

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unsuccessful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unsuccessful. Accessed 10 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

unsuccessful

adjective
un·​suc·​cess·​ful ˌən(t)-sək-ˈses-fəl How to pronounce unsuccessful (audio)
: not successful : not having or producing success
unsuccessfully adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on unsuccessful

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!