unsuccessful
adj.not achieving the result you wanted or hoped for. You use this to describe a person or an action that fails to reach a goal.
adj.failing to accomplish an intended objective or produce a desired outcome. Often used to describe attempts, applications, or professional endeavours.
“The team was unsuccessful in their attempt to win the game.”
“After several unsuccessful job applications, she finally received an interview request from a local law firm.”
“Despite a series of unsuccessful negotiations between the two nations, diplomats remain hopeful that a peaceful resolution can be reached before the end of the fiscal year.”
Commonly followed by the preposition 'in' plus a noun or a gerund.
The adjective 'unsuccessful' typically takes the preposition 'in' followed by a gerund, rather than an infinitive.
Usage largely unsuccessful
From un- + successful.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.