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.
Last May, students barricaded themselves inside the building—after dedicating it to the famed Palestinian painter who died in 2024 following unsuccessful appeals for a medical evacuation from Gaza— amid a rising wave of pro-Palestine demonstrations on college campuses across the United States. Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 27 Mar. 2025 Nonetheless, Punk had two very unsuccessful, farcical moments in the Octagon, so there could be some credence to Paul’s thought that White wanted nothing else to do with a crossover fight from a WWE Superstar. Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025 The other is in Florida's 1st Congressional District, to replace former Representative and unsuccessful U.S. attorney general pick Matt Gaetz. Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Mar. 2025 These rapid reversals mark the third unsuccessful attempt to introduce VAT on digital services in the Dominican Republic, setting the country apart from the global trend. Aleksandra Bal, Forbes, 23 Mar. 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

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Cite this Entry

“Unsuccessful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unsuccessful. Accessed 2 Apr. 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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