unhappy

adjective

ˌən-ˈha-pē How to pronounce unhappy (audio)
Definition of unhappynext
1
as in sad
feeling unhappiness he's been unhappy ever since his family's move, which took him away from all his friends

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unfortunate
having, prone to, or marked by bad luck she's trying to forget that whole unhappy attempt to start a business

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in unsuitable
not appropriate for a particular occasion or situation a guest unintentionally made unhappy reference to what is a painful situation for the family

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of unhappy On Tuesday, Paul urged Americans who are unhappy with the justices’ ruling to support his proposal. — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 30 June 2026 Reading a dissent from the bench signals that a justice is particularly unhappy with the majority’s decision. — The Conversation, 24 June 2026 The decade was an unhappy panorama of inflation, gas shortages, military humiliation, and revelations of political corruption. — Ann Manov, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026 Isdin Melatonik If traditional retinoids have left your sensitive skin unhappy, Isdin's Melatonik Recovery Night Serum offers a gentler approach with bakuchiol. — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 23 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for unhappy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unhappy
  1. sad
  2. unfortunate
  3. unsuitable
  4. depressed
  5. disastrous
  6. inappropriate
  7. miserable
  8. wrong
Adjective
  • Day broke, bathing everything in light, and so great was the vitality of the early-morning sun that even the unhappy city seemed to smile a wan, sad smile.
    — Vasily Grossman, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026
  • But SpringHill really took off in 2020, two seasons into James’ Lakers term, when The SpringHill Company went public (and the Lakers won the sad COVID-bubble NBA Championship).
    — Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 30 June 2026
Definition of sad
Adjective
  • As attendees were escorted out of the Great American State Fair on Sunday because of inclement weather, guests noticed an unfortunate typo displayed on a digital billboard at the National Mall.
    — Mike Stunson, USA Today, 30 June 2026
  • They should be trained not to ask a bunch of questions about the medical condition, express doubt, comment that the timing is unfortunate or share private information with co-workers.
    — Seth Turner, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of unfortunate
Adjective
  • The dogs were found to be living in unsuitable conditions, while the puppies were suffering from malnutrition, and a number of the dogs had additional medical conditions as well.
    — Adam England, PEOPLE, 29 June 2026
  • In 2023 the agency documented signs of stress in sloths during public encounters, improper handling of a juvenile kangaroo and environmental conditions deemed unsuitable for a sloth’s care.
    — Katie Surma, Sun Sentinel, 19 June 2026
Definition of unsuitable
Adjective
  • The pseudonymous title character, a depressed, drunken, belligerent twenty-six-year-old advice columnist, has no real hardships of his own and is cursed by doubt.
    — Hannah Jocelyn, New Yorker, 1 July 2026
  • Supergirl is a story about a depressed, super-powered woman who is pulled out of her bar-hopping to help other people and find her purpose.
    — Tiffany Kelly, Entertainment Weekly, 30 June 2026
Definition of depressed
Adjective
  • The last time Rushing caught Ohtani, the pitcher took over pitch-calling after a disastrous second inning against the Twins last week.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
  • Since his disastrous tenure with the New York Yankees from 2016 to 2022, which included a suspension for violating MLB’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse policy, Chapman has worked to turn around his career.
    — Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 4 July 2026
Definition of disastrous
Adjective
  • Murdaugh’s attorneys appealed the convictions, saying the trial was tainted by the county clerk Becky Hill’s inappropriate comments to jurors implying his guilt.
    — Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 29 June 2026
  • Live streams and other unfiltered media can expose kids to risky or inappropriate content, so adult guidance is key.
    — Kara Nesvig, Parents, 28 June 2026
Definition of inappropriate
Adjective
  • Remarkably, La Roja have failed to win a knockout round match in their last three World Cups, but expect Lamine Yamal and company to end that miserable run today.
    — David Hickey, NBC news, 2 July 2026
  • But the American job market has chugged along, continuing to rebound from a miserable 2025.
    — Paul Wiseman, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
Definition of miserable
Adjective
  • Critics, and even some supporters, said Soto-Martínez was making his move at the wrong time.
    — Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
  • That could always be wrong, of course, but at least that’s the garage talk heading into the weekend.
    — Jess Bryant, New York Times, 4 July 2026
Definition of wrong

Browse Nearby Words

unhappiness
unhappy
unharmed
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Cite this Entry

“Unhappy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unhappy. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on unhappy

Nglish: Translation of unhappy for Spanish Speakers

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