1
as in sad
feeling unhappiness
he's been unhappy ever since his family's move, which took him away from all his friends
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
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Recent Examples of unhappy
Even storybook seasons aren’t immune to unhappy endings.
—
Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 25 Mar. 2026
In other words, if anyone looks unhappy, that’s bad.
—Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026
But there are so many other parts of Nigeria, unhappy in their union, who would also want that privilege.
—Obi Anyadike, semafor.com, 23 Mar. 2026
In the long sweep of Jewish history, the idea of being smoothly integrated into the wider world stands as a brief period, and one with a substantially unhappy history.
—Adam Kirsch, The Atlantic, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unhappy
Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 25 Mar. 2026
In other words, if anyone looks unhappy, that’s bad.
—Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026
But there are so many other parts of Nigeria, unhappy in their union, who would also want that privilege.
—Obi Anyadike, semafor.com, 23 Mar. 2026
In the long sweep of Jewish history, the idea of being smoothly integrated into the wider world stands as a brief period, and one with a substantially unhappy history.
—Adam Kirsch, The Atlantic, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unhappy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unhappy
Adjective
-
There were enough people in the room who were sad about the kid.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
2 Apr. 2026
-
And that’s really sad, because the latest gen is a genuinely fantastic car.—
Adam Ismail,
The Drive,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The Russian ambassador to Libya hung out in my room, as did a Russian kid named Konstantin with an unfortunate stutter and endearing affection for the American rock band Metallica.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026
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The film is a Hulu release, continuing the rather unfortunate trend of comedy no longer being the box office powerhouse it once was.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
He was accused of creating spectacle and of designing spaces unsuitable for art.—
Norman Foster,
Artforum,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Goan cobras are migrating to new and unsuitable habitats by train.—
Rafil Kroll-Zaidi,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Single bunnies can be lonely and depressed.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
30 Mar. 2026
-
There was also research, which Meta eventually halted, implying that people who curbed their use of Facebook became less depressed and anxious.—
Jonathan Vanian,
CNBC,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Duke appeared to be too much for the Huskies, who went more than five minutes without scoring during a disastrous first-half stretch to fall behind, 44-25.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
30 Mar. 2026
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And years later, when the group splintered into increasingly militant factions, some took part in a disastrous bank robbery that killed an innocent guard and two police officers—three men who were just doing their jobs that day, and who left behind their own kids, their own families.—
Zayd Ayers Dohrn,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The decision to hire independent, outside counsel comes after two district employees were arrested last month, both accused of inappropriate relationships with students.—
Mike Darnay,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
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Separately, Ryals allegedly admitted to inappropriate contact with the victim while alone at the Howe Fire Station, court documents said.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Or a miserable 48 in the case of the Rangers, still simmering in Philadelphia.—
Kevin Sherrington
Mar. 27,
Dallas Morning News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Their home is huge and elegant, but also maze-like, miserable, and allergic to light.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Sometimes that’s totally wrong, because people are overestimating their kids or underestimating Joan Mitchell or whomever.—
Andrew Marantz,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
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Or show off the Sombor Shuffle with an 11-footer off the wrong foot.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unhappy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unhappy. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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