adjective
-
having succeeded in one's endeavours
-
marked by a favourable outcome
-
having obtained fame, wealth, etc
Usage
Spelling tips for successful The word successful is hard to spell because it can be hard to know which letters are doubled. Both the c and the middle s are doubled, but the f and l are not. How to spell successful: To be a success, you need to see (two Cs) Some Smarts (two Ss). This reminds you that success is spelled with a double C in the middle and a double S at the end. To spell successful, you add the base word (success) to the suffix -ful.
Other Word Forms
- half-successful adjective
- half-successfully adverb
- half-successfulness noun
- nonsuccessful adjective
- nonsuccessfully adverb
- presuccessful adjective
- presuccessfully adverb
- quasi-successful adjective
- quasi-successfully adverb
- semisuccessful adjective
- semisuccessfully adverb
- successfully adverb
- successfulness noun
Etymology
Origin of successful
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.
Russell's third successful goal-kick made it 17-0 to the delight of a raucous Murrayfield, with Scotland showing far more in attack than they had during the whole 80 minutes in Rome.
From Barron's
Most of sport's successful teams have had an arrogant streak.
From BBC
The "very expensive tea tray" has historically served up some rare sweet moments for the British team at the Winter Olympics -- they are the most successful nation in the sport.
From Barron's
No ice track, and yet the most successful nation in Olympic skeleton history.
From BBC
Guns were seized from the suspect's home in the past, police had said, but were returned after a successful petition from the firearms' owner.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
