unsuccessful
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of unsuccessful
First recorded in 1610–20; un- 1 + successful
Explanation
When something is unsuccessful, it means it didn’t quite work out as planned, like trying to bake a towering, multilayered cake and ending up with a pancake instead. The word unsuccessful comes from the Latin roots un- meaning "not" and successus, meaning "a good outcome." It describes an attempt that doesn’t achieve its intended result. For example, an unsuccessful attempt at gardening will result in wilted plants rather than beautiful blooms. Although being unsuccessful can be frustrating, it’s also a valuable part of learning and growing. Many great inventors and artists faced unsuccessful attempts before finally succeeding.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Shaughnessy Naughton, a chemist who worked on drug discovery and breast cancer research, founded 3.14 Action in 2016 after two unsuccessful tries for a congressional seat in the Philadelphia suburbs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 11, 2026
After other attempts to reach a solution were unsuccessful, Carmona-Barrera coordinated both transportation and childcare so the patient could make the appointment.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 6, 2026
Her timeline accelerated by more than a decade after a 2025 layoff and an unsuccessful job hunt.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 30, 2026
In the Baltics, German Freikorps fought Bolshevik revolutionaries and local nationalists in an unsuccessful attempt to establish an independent German-dominated state.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
She whisks me into the back office: she doesn’t want me dangling around in the empty gallery, at loose ends while the first revelers trickle in, she doesn’t want me looking unsuccessful and too eager.
From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
