Dictionary Workbench Ondict
Word Bank Import Dict Cloud Sync

    unsuccessful

    Dictionary entry view. Switch to definition mode above when you know the meaning but not the word.

    unsuccessful
    un‧suc‧cess‧ful /ˌʌnsəkˈsesfəl◂/ adjective
     Word Family: noun: success, succession, successor; adjective: successful ≠ unsuccessful, successive; verb: succeed; adverb: successfully ≠ unsuccessfully
    not having a successful result or not achieving what you wanted to achieve:
        an unsuccessful attempt to climb Everest
        unsuccessful in (doing) something
        We have been unsuccessful in finding a new manager.
    —unsuccessfully adverb:
        He tried unsuccessfully to make them change their decision.
         
    COLLOCATIONS
    ■ adverbs
       ▪ largely unsuccessful The advertising campaign has been largely unsuccessful.
       ▪ singularly unsuccessful (=unsuccessful to a great and noticeable degree) The education service has been singularly unsuccessful in achieving greater equality.
       ▪ ultimately unsuccessful In both cases negotiators were ultimately unsuccessful.
    ■ nouns
       ▪ an unsuccessful attempt/bid/effort We made several unsuccessful attempts to tackle the problem.
       ▪ an unsuccessful campaign He quit politics following his unsuccessful presidential campaign.
    ■ verbs
       ▪ prove unsuccessful The search for a planet like the Earth has so far proved unsuccessful.