successful
successful
Pronunciation
successful /səkˈsɛsfəl/
sək: /s/, /ʌ/, /k/
sɛs: /s/, /ɛ/, /s/
fəl: /f/, /əl/
Word Form Variations
Noun: success, successes (plural)
Adjective: successful
Adverb: successfully
Verb: succeed (base form), succeeds (third person singular present), succeeding (present participle), succeeded (past tense, past participle)
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Adjective:
successful
Having achieved a desired aim or result; having turned out as planned or hoped for.
Synonyms: prosperous, thriving, victorious, accomplished, fruitful
Antonyms: unsuccessful, failed, abortive, defeated, futile
Characterized by a series of positive outcomes or achievements over time.
Synonyms: flourishing, booming, lucrative, effective, triumphant
Antonyms: struggling, declining, unproductive, ineffective, unavailing
Noun:
success
The accomplishment of an aim or purpose.
Synonyms: achievement, triumph, victory, fulfillment, prosperity
Antonyms: failure, defeat, loss, setback, misfortune
A person or thing that achieves a desired aim or result.
Synonyms: hit, winner, triumph, star, sensation
Antonyms: flop, failure, loser, disappointment, disaster
Adverb:
successfully
In a way that achieves a desired aim or result.
Synonyms: effectively, prosperously, triumphantly, victoriously, capably
Antonyms: unsuccessfully, futilely, ineffectually, poorly, fruitlessly
Verb:
succeed
To achieve a desired aim or result.
Synonyms: triumph, prevail, flourish, prosper, accomplish
Antonyms: fail, miscarry, lose, collapse, falter
To follow in order; to take the place of. (This definition is less common for the "successful" family of words, but it's an important meaning of "succeed" nonetheless).
Synonyms: follow, replace, inherit, accede, take over
Antonyms: precede, begin, initiate, originate
Examples of Use
Book: "The team’s successful implementation of agile methodologies drastically improved their project delivery times." (Excerpt from "The Phoenix Project" by Gene Kim, Kevin Behr, and George Spafford)
Newspaper: "Local entrepreneur launches a successful startup, creating dozens of new jobs in the community." (As reported in The Daily Nation)
Online Publication: "Why some small businesses are more successful than others at retaining customers." (Article from Forbes.com)
Film (Entertainment Medium): "After years of struggling, the young actress finally found success in a leading role." (Dialogue from a film review of "La La Land,")
Television Series (Entertainment Medium): "Will the detective succeed in catching the elusive culprit before it's too late?" (Plot point from a crime drama series, Line of Duty, Season 6,)
Music (Entertainment Medium): "They say that behind every successful man is a woman, but I believe it's about individual drive." (Lyrics from a popular song, artist and year vary widely based on specific song)
Podcast (Entertainment Platform): "In this episode, we interview a successful venture capitalist about market trends and future investments." (Transcript from How I Built This podcast, NPR)
Social Media (Online Platform): "Just finished a marathon and it felt incredibly successful! Hard work pays off. #running #achievement" (User post on X, formerly Twitter)
Public Discourse (General): "For the peace talks to be successful, all parties must be willing to compromise significantly." (Statement made by a political analyst on a news panel)
Public Discourse (General): "The community celebrated the successful completion of the new library, a testament to collaborative effort." (Remarks by a local government official during a dedication ceremony)
10 Quotes Using Successful
"The most important thing is to try and inspire people so that they can be great in whatever they want to do." - Kobe Bryant (While often paraphrased, the spirit of "inspiration for successful endeavors" is consistent with his public statements and ethos.)
"A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him." (David Brinkley)
"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." (Thomas A. Edison, often attributed to the process of becoming successful in inventing the light bulb)
"If you want to be successful, it's just this simple. Know what you are doing. Love what you are doing. And believe in what you are doing." (Will Rogers)
"I owe my success to having listened respectfully to the very best advice, and then going away and doing the exact opposite." (G.K. Chesterton)
"You know you are on the road to success if you would do your job and not be paid for it." (Oprah Winfrey)
"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved." (Helen Keller)
"To be successful, you have to be able to accept failure." (Unknown, widely attributed to various coaches and entrepreneurs)
"Behind every successful man there's a lot of unsuccessful years." (Bob Brown)
"The path to success is to take massive, determined action." (Tony Robbins)
Etymology
The word "successful" has its roots in Latin. It comes from the Latin word "successus," which means "an advance, a coming up; a good result, or a happy outcome." This Latin word itself comes from the verb "succedere," which meant "to come after, follow after; to go near to; to take the place of," and also "to get on well, to prosper, or to be victorious."
So, think of "succedere" as meaning "to go close after" something. If you "succeeded" in doing something, you "went close after" it and achieved it.
The English word "success" (the noun form) first appeared in the early 1500s, around 1526, referring to the "result, outcome, or termination of an affair."
The adjective "successful" as we know it today, meaning "achieving or resulting in the accomplishment of what is intended or desired," came along a bit later, in the late 1500s (around 1580s). It was formed by simply adding the "-ful" suffix (meaning "full of") to the noun "success."
Interestingly, the original meaning of "success" was more neutral, just referring to any "outcome," good or bad. However, by the 18th century, the idea of "success" being a good or favorable outcome became the main meaning, which is how we use it today.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Successful
Here's a list of phrases and idioms using "successful" or its related forms, along with some using synonyms for similar effect:
Successful bidder: The person or company who makes the winning offer in an auction or tender.
Successful launch: Referring to the positive start of a product, project, or space mission.
Successful career: A professional life marked by notable achievements and progress.
Wildly successful: Extremely or exceptionally successful.
Run a successful business: To manage an enterprise that is profitable and thriving.
Make a success of something: To turn something into a prosperous or positive outcome.
A roaring success: An event or venture that is exceptionally well-received and popular.
Success story: An account of someone or something that has achieved great triumph.
Recipe for success: The methods or principles likely to lead to a favorable outcome.
Taste of success: Experiencing a brief period of achievement or triumph.
On the road to success: Progressing towards achieving a desired goal.
Bound for glory/success: Destined to achieve great things.
Strike gold: To discover something very valuable or achieve great success (using a synonym for similar effect).
Come up trumps: To produce a surprisingly good or desired result (using a synonym for similar effect).
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of successful from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
