UNHAPPY Synonyms: 321 Similar and Opposite Words

unhappy

adjective

ˌən-ˈha-pē

Definition of unhappy

as in sad

feeling unhappiness he's been unhappy ever since his family's move, which took him away from all his friends

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in unfortunate

having, prone to, or marked by bad luck she's trying to forget that whole unhappy attempt to start a business

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in unsuitable

not appropriate for a particular occasion or situation a guest unintentionally made unhappy reference to what is a painful situation for the family

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of unhappy Summer Walker, long unhappy with her record deal, has become embroiled in a series of legal disputes with her labels, LVRN and Interscope. — Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 14 Oct. 2026 After a tumultuous childhood, Crawford’s adult life was filled with dwellings that offered some comfort and stability amid a personal life that was rife with difficulties, ranging from alcoholism to unhappy relationships. — Megan Johnson, Architectural Digest, 14 Oct. 2026 Someone still must understand why that client is unhappy and rebuild confidence. — Adam Povlitz, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026 Even residents who are unhappy with most aspects of the rezoning admit that the studios were a win. — Kim Velsey, Curbed, 9 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unhappy

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unhappy

Adjective

When the modern-day world has nothing to offer us but AI slop, shrinkflation and a sad acceptance that we can't be bothered to do anything about global warming.

— Ian Stokes, Space.com, 19 Oct. 2026
This island that was so fantastic has become Work Island and that’s sad.

— Joe Lynch, Billboard, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of sad

Adjective

Neighbors shocked about stabbing Neighbors say Thomas was known to have mental health issues and called the stabbing unfortunate.

— Bryan Lynn, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
To make matters worse, India’s Supreme Court, another vital democratic institution, has also played an unfortunate role in this train of events.

— Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of unfortunate

Adjective

At one unsuitable Gramercy apartment, Taylor encountered Cam Armand, a salesperson on the Kota team at Compass, and the Folwells enlisted his help.

— Joyce Cohen, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026
In a setting designed to make exceptional yachts desirable, explaining why a particular vessel is unsuitable requires commercial discipline.

— Christoph Lymbersky, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of unsuitable

Adjective

Celebrated as masterpieces today, at the time they were regarded as the unpolished works of a depressed, crazy man and commercially worthless.

— Joan Martelli, Time, 17 Oct. 2026
In the event of a severe winter or import bottlenecks, depressed storage levels not only narrow Europe's capacity to absorb supply shocks but also risk driving natural gas prices higher.

— , CNBC, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of depressed

Adjective

But real power, particularly in numbers, can make things happen or stop really disastrous things from happening.

— Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
The 46-year-old was dismissed from the Mets halfway through the 2026 season after a disastrous start, which included a 12-game losing streak in April.

— Frederick Sutton Sinclair, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of disastrous

Adjective

Parental Controls for Shared Devices Parents can restrict access to adult and inappropriate content, which helps when kids use the same phones, tablets, or laptops.

— StackCommerce Team, PC Magazine, 19 Oct. 2026
Val Chmerkovskiy has been suspended from Dancing with the Stars for one week after making an inappropriate comment toward one of the judges last week.

— Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of inappropriate

Adjective

Sunday’s 31-24 loss to Cincinnati – the latest miserable day during this depressing season - crystallized several issues that general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and coach Jeff Hafley must navigate in the days and weeks ahead.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 11 Oct. 2026
Probably get out and do that, like, half-walk, half-jog thing and then show up, like, really sweaty and miserable.

— Zach Schiffman, Curbed, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of miserable

Adjective

Its argument is that insurers have been pricing wildfire risk the wrong way, by looking backward at statistics and sorting homes by zip code.

— Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2026
The trailer begins as Ziegler’s Mae frantically asks family friend Benny, played by a sleepy Rob Lowe, for help after her big mistake — kissing the wrong brother between Graham Phillips’ Andrew and Elias Kacavas’ Theo.

— Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of wrong

Browse Nearby Words

unhappiness

unhappy

unharmed

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“Unhappy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unhappy. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of unhappy

adjective

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