Unsuccessful — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˌən-sək-ˈses-fəl/ un·suc·cess·ful

Meaning & Definition of Unsuccessful

Unsuccessful (adjective)

  1. not successful, not meeting with or producing success

Unsuccessful (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. producing no results

    "an unsuccessful attempt to fix the faucet ourselves"

    similar: abortive, barren, bootless, empty, fruitless, futile, ineffective, ineffectual, inefficacious, otiose, profitless, unavailing, unproductive, unprofitable, useless, vain, in vain, no dice, not worth the candle, of no avail
    related: hollow, idle, meaningless, pointless, valueless, worthless, hopeless, impossible, lost, no-win, unattainable, inadequate, insufficient, lacking, wanting, counterproductive
    opposite: deadly, effective, effectual, efficacious, efficient, fruitful, potent, productive, profitable, successful, virtuous
    near: meaningful, worthwhile, adequate, sufficient, applicable, feasible, functional, practicable, practical, realizable, usable, workable

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Unsuccessful

The most common words with a similar meaning to Unsuccessful:

abortive, barren, bootless, empty, fruitless, futile, ineffective, ineffectual, inefficacious, otiose, profitless, unavailing, unproductive, unprofitable, useless, vain, in vain, no dice, not worth the candle, of no avail

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Unsuccessful

Words with the opposite meaning of Unsuccessful:

deadly, effective, effectual, efficacious, efficient, fruitful, potent, productive, profitable, successful, virtuous

Related Words for Unsuccessful

hollow, idle, meaningless, pointless, valueless, worthless, hopeless, impossible, lost, no-win, unattainable, inadequate, insufficient, lacking, wanting, counterproductive

Near Antonyms of Unsuccessful

meaningful, worthwhile, adequate, sufficient, applicable, feasible, functional, practicable, practical, realizable, usable, workable

Word Forms of Unsuccessful

Derived words: unsuccessfully (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Unsuccessful

First known use: 1617

Words & Phrases Containing Unsuccessful

make an unsuccessful run for

Frequently Asked Questions about Unsuccessful

What does "Unsuccessful" mean?

"Unsuccessful" means not successful, not meeting with or producing success. As an adjective, it is defined as: not successful, not meeting with or producing success.

What is another word for "Unsuccessful"?

Other words for "Unsuccessful" include abortive, barren, bootless, empty, fruitless, futile, ineffective and ineffectual. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Unsuccessful" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Unsuccessful"?

There are 36 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Unsuccessful". Common alternatives include abortive, barren, bootless, empty, fruitless, futile, ineffective, ineffectual, inefficacious and otiose.

What is the opposite of "Unsuccessful"?

Antonyms of "Unsuccessful" include deadly, effective, effectual, efficacious, efficient, fruitful, potent and productive. Near antonyms include meaningful, worthwhile, adequate and sufficient.

How do you use "Unsuccessful" in a sentence?

Examples of "Unsuccessful" in a sentence: "an unsuccessful attempt to fix the faucet ourselves".

Is "Unsuccessful" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Unsuccessful" is an adjective.

How do you pronounce "Unsuccessful"?

"Unsuccessful" is pronounced /ˌən-sək-ˈses-fəl/ and divided into syllables as un·suc·cess·ful.

What is the origin of the word "Unsuccessful"?

First known use: 1617.