Word
unhappiness
Phoneticsun·hap·pi·ness, stress on the second syllable
US/ənˈhæpinɪs/
UK/ʌnhˈæpɪnəs/
Españolinfelicidad
Countable & uncountable
Definition
n. the feeling of being sad or not satisfied with your life. It is the opposite of happiness.
n. the state of being sad, miserable, or dissatisfied. Uncountable in its general sense; countable when referring to specific instances or types of distress.
Examples
“She couldn't hide her unhappiness with the new rules.”
“The survey aims to measure the level of unhappiness among employees who work long hours without breaks.”
“While wealth can provide comfort, it is rarely a permanent shield against the deep-seated unhappiness that stems from a lack of purpose or social connection.”
Examples
simple
“She couldn't hide her unhappiness with the new rules.”
contextual
“The survey aims to measure the level of unhappiness among employees who work long hours without breaks.”
complex
“While wealth can provide comfort, it is rarely a permanent shield against the deep-seated unhappiness that stems from a lack of purpose or social connection.”
Usage
Often paired with the preposition 'about' or 'with' to indicate the cause of the feeling.
Etymology
From unhappy + -ness or un- + happiness.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- 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.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL 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: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/unhappiness
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0