Unhappy: meaning, definitions and examples

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unhappy

 

[ ʌnˈhæpi ]

Adjective
Oxford 3000
Context #1 | Adjective

feeling

Not feeling or showing pleasure; causing discomfort or unhappiness.

Synonyms

depressed, discontented, miserable, sad, sorrowful.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
unhappy

General dissatisfaction or lack of joy in various situations.

  • She was unhappy with her job.
  • He felt unhappy about the outcome of the game.
sad

Having feelings of sorrow or unhappiness, often in response to a specific event.

  • She was sad because her cat died.
  • He felt sad when he heard the bad news.
sorrowful

Deep feeling of grief or regret, often related to loss or tragedy.

  • A sorrowful look appeared on her face at the funeral.
  • He wrote a sorrowful letter expressing his regrets.
miserable

Extreme discomfort or suffering, can be emotional or physical. Often used in intense situations of suffering.

  • He felt miserable after the breakup.
  • The cold and rain made everyone miserable.
depressed

Medical or psychological state of severe sadness and loss of interest, often requiring treatment. Generally used in serious and persistent situations.

  • After losing his job, he became deeply depressed.
  • She has been diagnosed with clinical depression.
discontented

Feeling of dissatisfaction due to unmet needs or expectations. Often used in contexts of complaints or unrest.

  • The workers were discontented with their pay.
  • She is discontented with the current political situation.

Examples of usage

  • She looked unhappy and worried.
  • Many people are unhappy with the decision.
  • He was unhappy with his job.
Context #2 | Adjective

not satisfactory

Not satisfied or pleased with a situation because it is not as good as you had hoped.

Synonyms

discontented, displeased, dissatisfied, unsatisfied.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
unhappy

General state of not feeling happy, can refer to temporary or longer-term feelings.

  • She felt unhappy with her job
  • The movie had an unhappy ending
displeased

Showing or feeling annoyance, often due to someone's actions or behavior.

  • The manager was displeased with the team's performance
  • She seemed displeased with the service at the restaurant
dissatisfied

Expressing a lack of satisfaction or fulfillment, often in a specific area like service, product, or performance.

  • Many customers were dissatisfied with the product
  • He felt dissatisfied with his progress at work
unsatisfied

Not having one's desires or needs met, often referring to expectations or requirements.

  • She felt unsatisfied with her meal
  • The project left many goals unsatisfied
discontented

Feeling that something lacks satisfaction, often regarding life circumstances or conditions.

  • He was discontented with his living situation
  • The employees are discontented with the new policy

Examples of usage

  • I'm unhappy with the quality of service.
  • The customers were unhappy with the product.

Translations

Translations of the word "unhappy" in other languages:

🇵🇹 infeliz

🇮🇳 असंतुष्ट

🇩🇪 unglücklich

🇮🇩 tidak bahagia

🇺🇦 нещасливий

🇵🇱 nieszczęśliwy

🇯🇵 不幸せ (fushiawase)

🇫🇷 malheureux

🇪🇸 infeliz

🇹🇷 mutsuz

🇰🇷 불행한 (bulhaenghan)

🇸🇦 تعيس

🇨🇿 nešťastný

🇸🇰 nešťastný

🇨🇳 不快乐 (bù kuàilè)

🇸🇮 nesrečen

🇮🇸 óhamingjusamur

🇰🇿 бақытсыз

🇬🇪 უგუნებოდ

🇦🇿 bədbəxt

🇲🇽 infeliz

Etymology

The word 'unhappy' originated from the Middle English word 'unhappy', which meant 'causing misfortune or calamity'. It is a combination of the prefix 'un-' meaning 'not' and the word 'happy'. The term has been used since the 14th century to describe feelings of sorrow, discontent, or displeasure. Over time, its usage has evolved to encompass a wide range of negative emotions and experiences.

See also: happily, happiness, happy, unhappily, unhappiness.

Word Frequency Rank

At #5,603 in frequency, this word belongs to advanced vocabulary. It's less common than core vocabulary but important for sophisticated expression.