Thesaurus.com
Dictionary.com

unsuccessfully

ADVERB
badly
Synonyms
STRONGEST
awkwardly clumsily poorly
WEAK
abominably blunderingly carelessly crudely defectively erroneously faultily feebly haphazardly imperfectly incompetently ineffectively ineptly maladroitly negligently shoddily stupidly unfavorably unfortunately unsatisfactorily unskillfully weakly wrong wrongly
Antonyms
WEAK
adequately calmly little mildly morally
ADVERB
poorly
Synonyms
STRONGEST
badly crudely inadequately insufficiently
WEAK
defectively incompetently inexpertly inferiorly meanly shabbily
Antonyms
WEAK
satisfactorily well
ADVERB
unfortunately
Synonyms
STRONGEST
sadly
STRONG
regrettably
WEAK
disastrously dismally grievously horribly lamentably miserably unhappily
Antonyms
WEAK
appropriately favorably fortunately happily luckily
ADVERB
vainly
Synonyms
STRONGEST
futilely
WEAK
fruitlessly ineffectually uselessly

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.

Unsuccessfully going for broke, the under-pressure Shelton lamped aggressive groundstrokes in a bid to break down Sinner.

From BBC • Jul. 9, 2025

Unsuccessfully repurposed as a theater in 1998, it sits empty while the City of Reno decides its fate.

From New York Times • Jul. 14, 2022

Bucks: Unsuccessfully challenged a loose ball foul on Antetokounmpo in the fourth quarter.

From Seattle Times • May 3, 2022

Q: Unsuccessfully duking it out: My husband and I have been together for seven years now.

From Slate • Dec. 29, 2015

Unsuccessfully, he tried to swallow, and a mental flash told him that whatever he said, he was already convicted.

From The Players by Solomon, Steve

Vocabulary lists containing unsuccessfully

Litotes from Top AP English Exam Novels

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!