adjective
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having succeeded in one's endeavours
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marked by a favourable outcome
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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
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half-successfulnessnoun
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successfulnessnoun
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half-successfuladjective
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nonsuccessfuladjective
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presuccessfuladjective
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quasi-successfuladjective
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semisuccessfuladjective
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half-successfullyadverb
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nonsuccessfullyadverb
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presuccessfullyadverb
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quasi-successfullyadverb
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semisuccessfullyadverb
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successfullyadverb
Etymology
Origin of successful
Explanation
If you win or do well, at whatever it is you do, you are successful. Successful people usually get more money, attention, and praise. If you go into business and make a lot of money, you're successful. If you play tennis and finish the season with more wins than losses, you've been successful. If you have a successful pregnancy, you give birth to a healthy baby. Successful is one of those words that covers a great deal of ground; it generally applies to anything, anyone or any venture that ends well. When you see the word successful, think "Winning!"
Vocabulary lists containing successful
Power Suffix: -ful
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Talk Like Shakespeare Day, List 5
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-ful
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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.
In 1976, Frieda opened his own salon in central London which became massively successful and booked up months in advance as his reputation as an influential stylist grew.
From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2026
Mr. Glassman is the antithesis of what one might expect from the founder of a highly successful fitness chain.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026
"Our country is more successful right now than at any time in its history," he said, before breaking off in mid-sentence and pointing to the ceiling.
From Barron's ● Nov. 4, 2026
A successful IPO would also likely be a big deal for Alphabet and Amazon, which have sizable stakes in the company.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 3, 2026
The novel became required reading for all Hitler Youth and later was turned into a successful film.
From "Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
