unsuccessful
adjective
un·suc·cess·ful
ˌən-sək-ˈses-fəl 
: not successful : not meeting with or producing success
Examples of unsuccessful in a Sentence
His last novel was unsuccessful.
an unsuccessful attempt to fix the faucet ourselves
Recent Examples on the Web
The mammal’s health deteriorated as it became repeatedly stranded in shallow waters, and unsuccessful efforts to coax it toward deeper seas were livestreamed across the globe.
—
Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
The child was taken to Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital in Azle, where additional lifesaving efforts were unsuccessful, the sheriff's office said.
—Doug Myers, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
Initial rescue attempts were unsuccessful, and Timmy was expected to die while beached off the coast of a small Baltic island.
—K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 30 Apr. 2026
Boylan had mounted two unsuccessful campaigns before, for Congress and for Manhattan borough president.
—Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unsuccessful
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Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
The child was taken to Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital in Azle, where additional lifesaving efforts were unsuccessful, the sheriff's office said.
—Doug Myers, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
Initial rescue attempts were unsuccessful, and Timmy was expected to die while beached off the coast of a small Baltic island.
—K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 30 Apr. 2026
Boylan had mounted two unsuccessful campaigns before, for Congress and for Manhattan borough president.
—Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unsuccessful
Cite this Entry
“Unsuccessful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unsuccessful. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unsuccessful
adjective
un·suc·cess·ful
ˌən(t)-sək-ˈses-fəl
: not successful : not having or producing success
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