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Definition of unhappy adjective from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

unhappy

adjective
 
/ʌnˈhæpi/
 
/ʌnˈhæpi/
(comparative unhappier, superlative unhappiest)
more unhappy and most unhappy are also common
Word Family
  • happy adjective (≠ unhappy)
  • happily adverb (≠ unhappily)
  • happiness noun (≠ unhappiness)
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  1. not happy; sad
    • to feel/look/seem/sound/become unhappy
    • an unhappy marriage/childhood
    • I didn't realize but he was deeply unhappy at that time.
    • This story has an unhappy ending.
    • unhappy to do something It makes me very unhappy to see you so miserable.
    Extra Examples
    • She grew more unhappy as the years went by.
    • She sounded so unhappy when I left her.
    Topics Feelingsa2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs
    • be
    • feel
    • look
    adverb
    • extremely
    • fairly
    • very
    preposition
    • about
    • at
    • with
    See full entry
  2. not pleased or satisfied with somebody/something
    • unhappy customers
    • unhappy about/at something Many people are deeply unhappy about the way the government has handled this matter.
    • unhappy about/at doing something He was unhappy at being left out of the team.
    • unhappy with somebody/something They were unhappy with their accommodation.
    • Your teacher says she's very unhappy with you.
    • A lot of people were unhappy with the decision.
    • unhappy to do something Shareholders are unhappy to have him as their CEO.
    • unhappy (that)… Voters are unhappy that he has failed to deliver the kind of change that he promised.
    Extra Examples
    • You should offer unhappy customers a proper complaints system.
    • We felt entirely unhappy with the whole situation.
    • They were terribly unhappy with the arrangements.
    • She was very unhappy at the idea of staying in London.
    • He was equally unhappy with the alternative.
    • He sounded a bit unhappy about the extra work he had to do.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs
    • be
    • feel
    • look
    adverb
    • extremely
    • fairly
    • very
    preposition
    • about
    • at
    • with
    See full entry
  3. (formal) not suitable synonym unfortunate
    • an unhappy coincidence
    • It was an unhappy choice of words.
See unhappy in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee unhappy in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
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noun
 
 
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