successful

adjective

suc·​cess·​ful sək-ˈses-fəl 

1

: resulting or terminating in success

a successful attempt

2

: gaining or having gained success

a successful investor

successfully

sək-ˈses-fə-lē 

adverb

successfulness noun

Synonyms

• flourishing
• going
• palmy
• prosperous
• thriving
• triumphant

Examples of successful in a Sentence

the play had a successful run on Broadway

sold their successful dry-cleaning business and retired to Hawaii

Recent Examples on the Web

McCarthy wound up suffering a season-ending knee injury in the preseason, and Darnold blossomed under Kevin O’Connell’s tutelage, helping the Vikings enjoy their most successful season in decades. —Mark Puleo, The Athletic, 18 Feb. 2025

If the challenge is successful, the results of the referendum will be voided. —Evan Mealins, The Tennessean, 18 Feb. 2025

The most successful organizations will foster a culture of partnership between human ingenuity and agentic efficiency. —Sanjay Srivastava, Forbes, 18 Feb. 2025

Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect that the plesiosaur is considered a successful marine predatory ancient species. —Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 18 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

successful

adjective

suc·​cess·​ful sək-ˈses-fəl 

1

: resulting or ending in success

2

: gaining or having gained success

successfully

-fə-lē 

adverb

successfulness noun