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.
Officials said he was found semiconscious on the River Trail on June 30 but resuscitation attempts were unsuccessful. Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 24 May 2025 Efforts to refloat the ship during high tide on Thursday were unsuccessful. Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 23 May 2025 However, the letter was unsuccessful, and a judge denied a request to pause the relocation, per NBC4 Los Angeles, so the move went through as planned. Bailey Richards, People.com, 21 May 2025 Efforts to reach her were unsuccessful, and the circumstances of her exit were not clear. Charlie Savage, New York Times, 20 May 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 30 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
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