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.
But attempts to detect them in space or create them in particle accelerators have so far been unsuccessful. Tom Siegfried, Discover Magazine, 29 Nov. 2024 His $7 billion investment in India’s Aircel was unsuccessful, with the company filing for bankruptcy in 2018 amid cutthroat competition. Yessar Rosendar, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2024 Hassan Diarra had a chance to snatch victory for UConn but was unsuccessful with his three-point attempt. George Ramsay, CNN, 27 Nov. 2024 Hardee wrote that the crash remains under investigation by the South Carolina Highway Patrol's Major Accident Investigation Team. Attempts to contact the Marlboro County Sheriff's Department on Wednesday were unsuccessful. Max Hauptman, USA TODAY, 27 Nov. 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near unsuccessful

Cite this Entry

“Unsuccessful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unsuccessful. Accessed 18 Dec. 2024.

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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