success

success
suc‧cess S1 W1 /səkˈses/ noun [uncountable and countable]1. when you achieve what you want or intend
   OPP  failure:
    The experiment was a big success.
    without success
    I tried to contact him, but without success.
    success in doing something
    Did you have any success in persuading Alan to come?
2. when a lot of people like something, buy something, go to see something etc
   OPP  failure
    be a big/huge/great etc success
    The film was a great success.
    Her book has enjoyed a lot of success (=it has been very successful).
    The play was a box-office success (=many people went to see it).
    The show was an overnight success (=it was immediately successful).
3. when someone achieves a high position in their job, on a course, in a sport, in society etc
   OPP  failure:
    Success isn’t everything, you know.
    success in
    He has already had a lot of success in his career.
    be a success as a ... (=be successful in a particular job)
    She wasn’t much of a success as a lawyer.
    She’s determined to make a success of (=be successful in) her career.
4. when a business makes a lot of money
   OPP  failure:
    the success of his latest business venture
    be a big/huge/great etc success
    The firm wasn’t a great success.
5. success story someone or something that is successful:
    The company has been a major success story.
     

COLLOCATIONS

■ adjectives
   ▪ a great success Everyone agreed the picnic was a great success.
   ▪ a big/huge/major success The government claimed the policy was a major success.
   ▪ a resounding/outstanding/spectacular success (=very great success) Financially, the event was a resounding success.
   ▪ great/considerable success This plant can be grown by the absolute beginner with great success.
   ▪ some success The group is already achieving some success.
   ▪ little/no success Attempts to resolve the dispute met with little success.
   ▪ limited success (=not very much success) The attempt to replace coca with other crops has had only limited success.
   ▪ commercial/economic/financial success None of his ideas had any commercial success.
   ▪ academic success (=success in education) There is no evidence that early teaching of reading leads to academic success.
   ▪ electoral success (=success in elections) The electoral success of the far right understandably fills many people in Europe with alarm.
   ▪ military success This military success was achieved at a cost.
■ verbs
   ▪ have/achieve success China has had considerable success in conserving water since 1983.
   ▪ meet with success (=be successful) We are disappointed that this round of negotiations has not met with success.
   ▪ put your success down to something (=say that your success was the result of it) They put their success down to their excellent teamwork.
■ phrases
   ▪ somebody's chance of success They have a good chance of success.
   ▪ the secret of somebody's success (=what makes them successful) A visitor asked Connie the secret of her success with growing roses.
   ▪ the success rate (=what percentage of actions are successful) The success rate in cloning is still extremely low.
■ COMMON ERRORS
    ► Do not say 'make success' or 'make a success'. Say have success or achieve success.