Word
successful
Phoneticssuc·cess·ful, stress on the second syllable
US/səkˈsɛsfəɫ/
UK/səksˈɛsfəl/
Definition
adj. achieving the results you wanted or hoped for. It describes someone who has done well in their job, a project, or life in general.
adj. achieving a desired aim or result; having gained wealth, popularity, or status.
Examples
“She is a very successful lawyer in the city.”
“The new marketing campaign was so successful that the company sold out of its entire stock within a week.”
“While the initial prototype failed to meet safety standards, the subsequent redesign proved successful, eventually securing the necessary patents for mass production.”
Examples
simple
“She is a very successful lawyer in the city.”
contextual
“The new marketing campaign was so successful that the company sold out of its entire stock within a week.”
complex
“While the initial prototype failed to meet safety standards, the subsequent redesign proved successful, eventually securing the necessary patents for mass production.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “successful” in context.
Usage
Typically used before a noun or after a linking verb like 'be' or 'become'.
Pitfall
He is success in his job
He is successful in his job
Learners often use the noun 'success' where the adjective 'successful' is required.
Confusables
Successful describes achieving a goal, while successive describes things following one after another in a sequence.
RememberSuccessful = Win. Successive = Sequence.
Etymology
From success + -ful.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- A2 · ElementaryOxford
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/successful