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.
Earlier Wednesday, an attempt to buy a Havertz shirt on Adidas's online store was unsuccessful, and produced the message: "Sorry, we're currently out of stock of the following characters: V."
From Barron's • Jun. 17, 2026
Former Northwest Airlines co-chairman Al Checchi spent more than $40 million of his money on an unsuccessful gubernatorial primary campaign in 1998, which broke records at the time.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026
“He was unsuccessful in this effort, but it shows some of the ways he tried to leverage his interactions with me to further his agenda.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026
That bear is yet to be caught after attempts to tranquilise it were unsuccessful.
From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026
Also I can’t say that the bleak aftermath of a special agent’s unsuccessful mission has anything to recommend it.
From "Code Name Verity" by Elizabeth Wein
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.
