success

[suhk-ses]

noun

1. the favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors; the accomplishment of one's goals.

2. the attainment of wealth, position, honors, or the like.

   Synonyms: triumph, accomplishment, achievement

3. a performance or achievement that is marked by success, as by the attainment of honors.

   The play was an instant success.

4. a person or thing that has had success, as measured by attainment of goals, wealth, etc..

   She was a great success on the talk show.

5. Obsolete.,  outcome.

success

/ səkˈsɛs /

noun

1. the favourable outcome of something attempted

2. the attainment of wealth, fame, etc

3. an action, performance, etc, that is characterized by success

4. a person or thing that is successful

5. obsolete,  any outcome

Other Word Forms

• successless adjective
• successlessly adverb
• successlessness noun
• nonsuccess noun
• presuccess noun
• semisuccess adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of success¹

First recorded in 1530–40; from Latin successus, equivalent to succēd-, stem of succēdere succeed + -tus suffix of verb action, with -dt- regularly becoming -ss-

Word History and Origins

Origin of success¹

C16: from Latin successus an outcome, from succēdere to _succeed

Example Sentences

One Labour candidate for next year's election said it was a "shocker", and that "our electoral success last year was built on his back".

From BBC

They will be very close this time around off their back of their Champions League success but they need to turn that belief into ruthlessness.

From BBC

“Some of them have grown up on the option. So you needed to have some success in Year 1.”

From Los Angeles Times

You have given your all to making the Labour Government a success and you have been a central art of our plan to make Britain fairer for working families.

From BBC

Days before her resignation, the prime minister mounted a full-throated defence of Rayner, hailing her a "great story of British success" who gave working-class children "a real sense of aspiration".

From BBC

Related Words

• accomplishment 
• achievement 
• advance 
• benefit 
• boom 
• fame 
• gain 
• happiness 
• profit 
• progress 
• prosperity 
• realization 
• triumph 
• victory 
• win