English Reference
adjective

unhappy

adj.
US /ənˈhæpi/ UK /ʌnhˈæpi/ un·hap·py

  1. 01 A2 Elementary

    feeling sad or miserable.

    experiencing or showing sadness, sorrow, or misery.

    Simple

    She was very unhappy after her best friend moved to another city.

    In context

    The child looked deeply unhappy as he sat alone on the bench, watching the other children play in the distance.

  2. 02 B1 Intermediate

    not pleased or satisfied with something.

    expressing or feeling dissatisfaction or annoyance regarding a specific situation or service.

    Simple

    The customers were unhappy with the slow service at the restaurant.

    In context

    Several board members were unhappy with the proposed budget cuts, arguing that they would compromise the quality of the research department.

  3. 03 C1 Advanced Formal

    not lucky or not suitable for a situation.

    unfortunate, ill-chosen, or inappropriate for the circumstances.

    Simple

    It was an unhappy accident that the two cars met on such a narrow road.

    In context

    The minister's choice of words was an unhappy one, leading to a significant misunderstanding among the international press corps.


From Middle English unhappy; equivalent to un- + happy.

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

This entry
Origin Middle English unhappy
Level A2 · Elementary
Frequency Common
Updated