unsuccessful
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived 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.
Sadler worked for Steyer in the final weeks of his presidential bid and scheduled $50 million of billionaire Rick Caruso’s money on ads during his unsuccessful 2022 Los Angeles mayoral campaign.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026
Heather Madrid, 40, a community organizer who led an unsuccessful petition to pause data-center development, said the camp “is going to be just dropped in the middle of a neighborhood.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
The development commission has recommended reviving the Hood County data center moratorium proposal, but those efforts have so far been unsuccessful in being added to the commissioners’ agenda.
From Salon • Jun. 6, 2026
Many do not inform candidates they have been rejected or provide feedback about why interviews have been unsuccessful, something highlighted in the Milburn report.
From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026
Now when he should be enjoying the rewards accorded the most prestigious chair in science, he had to be responsible for the outrageous antics of an unsuccessful genius.
From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson
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.
