1
as in prosperous
having attained a desired end or state of good fortune
the play had a successful run on Broadway
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in thriving
marked by vigorous growth and well-being especially economically
sold their successful dry-cleaning business and retired to Hawaii
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of successful
While many parents may assume that helping their kids specialize early in life prepares them for successful careers, the latest research suggests otherwise.
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Jake Angelo, Fortune, 9 Jan. 2026
De Blasio halted the successful Bloomberg initiatives and wasted hundreds of millions of dollars on efforts to improve failing schools rather than replacing them.
—Ray Domanico, Washington Post, 9 Jan. 2026
Attempts to reach Ross, 43, at phone numbers and email addresses associated with him were not successful.
—Rebecca Santana, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2026
Norman has also had a successful career in both dancing and acting.
—Skyler Trepel, PEOPLE, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for successful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for successful
Adjective
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This aggressive subjugation of a country that was not, in fact, a threat to the United States doesn’t make America safer or more prosperous and likely makes the whole region less stable.—
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On one hand, every country in the region would benefit from a democratic, stable, and prosperous Venezuela.—
Adjective
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Ronny Hartmann | Afp | Getty Images Rolls-Royce shares have hit fresh record highs every single trading day so far this year, as the aerospace and defense firm reaps benefits from multiple directions – from its exposure to defense, to its thriving power systems business and a wider FTSE 100 rally.—
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Settlements turned into towns, towns turned into thriving American port cities.—
Adjective
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Dwayne Johnson walked hand-in-hand with wife Lauren Hashian, who looked golden in a floor-length gown.—
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Return to oven, and bake until hot and bubbly around edges and chips are lightly golden brown, about 10 minutes.—
Cite this Entry
“Successful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/successful. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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