English Reference
Adjective

successful

adj.
A2 Elementary Oxford US /səkˈsɛsfəɫ/ UK /səksˈɛsfəl/ suc·cess·ful

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.


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.

Usage

Typically used before a noun or after a linking verb like 'be' or 'become'.

Don't confuse

successful vs successive — Successful describes achieving a goal, while successive describes things following one after another in a sequence.

Pitfall
He is success in his jobHe is successful in his job

Learners often use the noun 'success' where the adjective 'successful' is required.

Usage successful athlete · extremely successful · highly successful


From success + -ful.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level A2 · Elementary
Frequency Very common
Updated