success

[suhk-ses]

noun

1. the favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors; the accomplishment of one's goals.

2. the attainment of wealth, position, honors, or the like.

   Synonyms: triumph, accomplishment, achievement

3. a performance or achievement that is marked by success, as by the attainment of honors.

   The play was an instant success.

4. a person or thing that has had success, as measured by attainment of goals, wealth, etc..

   She was a great success on the talk show.

5. Obsolete.,  outcome.

success

/ səkˈsɛs /

noun

1. the favourable outcome of something attempted

2. the attainment of wealth, fame, etc

3. an action, performance, etc, that is characterized by success

4. a person or thing that is successful

5. obsolete,  any outcome

Other Word Forms

• successless adjective
• successlessly adverb
• successlessness noun
• nonsuccess noun
• presuccess noun
• semisuccess adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of success¹

First recorded in 1530–40; from Latin successus, equivalent to succēd-, stem of succēdere succeed + -tus suffix of verb action, with -dt- regularly becoming -ss-

Word History and Origins

Origin of success¹

C16: from Latin successus an outcome, from succēdere to _succeed

Example Sentences

Some brief success from the challenger only seemed to spring Benavidez into action in the sixth.

Read more on BBC

Silicon Valley’s startup model encourages “a fake it until you make it” strategy: Pretend to be successful to attract the coders, venture capitalists and customers that bring actual success.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“Young people are realizing that our lives are going to be so much more meaningful if we have a family to share our success with from the start,” Brown said.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

China's Vice Minister of Ecology and Environment, Li Gao, told AFP that COP 30 would go down as "success in a very difficult situation."

Read more on Barron's

Scott Robertson's side bounced back from a 33-19 defeat against England last weekend with the success completing New Zealand's year.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• accomplishment 
• achievement 
• advance 
• benefit 
• boom 
• fame 
• gain 
• happiness 
• profit 
• progress 
• prosperity 
• realization 
• triumph 
• victory 
• win