# unhappy

/ənˈhæpi/ (US) · /ʌnhˈæpi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/unhappy
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. sad

adjective · CEFR A2

feeling sad or miserable.

For teachers: experiencing or showing sadness, sorrow, or misery.

- She was very unhappy after her best friend moved to another city.
- The child looked deeply unhappy as he sat alone on the bench, watching the other children play in the distance.

### 2. not satisfied

adjective · CEFR B1

not pleased or satisfied with something.

For teachers: expressing or feeling dissatisfaction or annoyance regarding a specific situation or service.

- The customers were unhappy with the slow service at the restaurant.
- Several board members were unhappy with the proposed budget cuts, arguing that they would compromise the quality of the research department.

### 3. unfortunate or unsuitable

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal

not lucky or not suitable for a situation.

For teachers: unfortunate, ill-chosen, or inappropriate for the circumstances.

- It was an unhappy accident that the two cars met on such a narrow road.
- The minister's choice of words was an unhappy one, leading to a significant misunderstanding among the international press corps.

## Examples

- She was very unhappy about the news.
- The customer was unhappy with the service and asked to speak with the manager.
- Despite his professional success, he remained deeply unhappy in his personal life, feeling that his achievements were hollow without someone to share them with.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.