unhappy
adjective
un·hap·py ˌən-ˈha-pē 
1
: not fortunate : unlucky
an unhappy coincidence
2
: not cheerful or glad : sad, wretched
3
a
: causing or subject to misfortune : inauspicious
b
: infelicitous, inappropriate
an unhappy choice
unhappiness noun
Synonyms
- bad
- blue
- brokenhearted
- cast down
- crestfallen
- dejected
- depressed
- despondent
- disconsolate
- doleful
- down
- down in the mouth
- downcast
- downhearted
- droopy
- forlorn
- gloomy
- glum
- hangdog
- heartbroken
- heartsick
- heartsore
- heavyhearted
- inconsolable
- joyless
- low
- low-spirited
- melancholic
- melancholy
- miserable
- mournful
- sad
- saddened
- sorrowful
- sorry
- woebegone
- woeful
- wretched
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
I can see that he's unhappy, but I don't know why. I've never seen her looking so unhappy. For three unhappy days we were all stuck in the house because of the blizzard. an unhappy choice of career The movie's hero meets an unhappy fate.
Recent Examples on the Web In a luxury apartment tower, six different women in unhappy marriages end up crossing the line into infidelity. 
Rodney Ho, ajc, 13 Feb. 2022 The scandal surrounding Wang has not only underscored the precarious status of celebrities in China, but also stirred discussion about why Chinese women stay in unhappy marriages. NBC News, 26 Dec. 2021 Inflation has been a persistent problem in the U.S. since the pandemic began, and both consumers and investors are unhappy about it. Will Daniel, Fortune, 22 Aug. 2022 The Queen was allegedly unhappy about her son's relationship with his former mistress. Jessica Sager, Peoplemag, 12 Aug. 2022 Allmendinger was unhappy about that and voiced his displeasure with his team on the radio. Larry Lage, BostonGlobe.com, 6 Aug. 2022 Like any restaurant that changes ownership, some people will be unhappy about it, whether anything changes or not. Ed Stockly, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2022 This is Roger Goodell trying to be the hero, gauging the winds of public perception, discovering his paying customers are unhappy about the Deshaun Watson suspension and deciding, therefore, to Do Something. Gregg Doyel, USA TODAY, 4 Aug. 2022 But some city residents — like Jo Ellen Green Kaiser — are unhappy about not just the squeezing of the play area, but the lack of public input on the change. Chase Difeliciantonio, San Francisco Chronicle, 29 July 2022 See More
Rodney Ho, ajc, 13 Feb. 2022 The scandal surrounding Wang has not only underscored the precarious status of celebrities in China, but also stirred discussion about why Chinese women stay in unhappy marriages. NBC News, 26 Dec. 2021 Inflation has been a persistent problem in the U.S. since the pandemic began, and both consumers and investors are unhappy about it. Will Daniel, Fortune, 22 Aug. 2022 The Queen was allegedly unhappy about her son's relationship with his former mistress. Jessica Sager, Peoplemag, 12 Aug. 2022 Allmendinger was unhappy about that and voiced his displeasure with his team on the radio. Larry Lage, BostonGlobe.com, 6 Aug. 2022 Like any restaurant that changes ownership, some people will be unhappy about it, whether anything changes or not. Ed Stockly, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2022 This is Roger Goodell trying to be the hero, gauging the winds of public perception, discovering his paying customers are unhappy about the Deshaun Watson suspension and deciding, therefore, to Do Something. Gregg Doyel, USA TODAY, 4 Aug. 2022 But some city residents — like Jo Ellen Green Kaiser — are unhappy about not just the squeezing of the play area, but the lack of public input on the change. Chase Difeliciantonio, San Francisco Chronicle, 29 July 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
unhappy
adjective
un·hap·py ˌən-ˈha-pē
unhappier; unhappiest
1
: not cheerful : sad
an unhappy person
2
: not pleased or satisfied
We were unhappy with the hotel room.
3
: full of or showing feelings of sadness or misery
an unhappy childhood
an unhappy face
4
: not fortunate : unlucky
an unhappy coincidence
5
: not suitable : inappropriate
an unhappy choice
unhappy
adjective
1
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
Relevance
- sad
- depressed
- miserable
- heartbroken
- upset
- bad
- worried
- sorry
- disappointed
- melancholy
- uneasy
- troubled
- sorrowful
- dejected
- hopeless
- saddened
- downhearted
- mournful
- disconsolate
- joyless
- heartsick
- gloomy
- crestfallen
- glum
- despondent
- inconsolable
- wretched
- downcast
- doleful
- forlorn
- woebegone
- distressed
- woeful
- discouraged
- brokenhearted
- melancholic
- suicidal
- droopy
- depressing
- blue
- down
- heavyhearted
- low-spirited
- hangdog
- cast down
- aggrieved
- heartsore
- despairing
- low
- grieving
- dispirited
- tearful
- disheartened
- regretful
- unquiet
- sunk
- bleak
- anguished
- down in the mouth
- weeping
- desolate
- somber
- lugubrious
- agonized
- cheerless
- morbid
- sullen
- morose
- dismal
- dolorous
- plaintive
- dark
- wailing
- rueful
- lachrymose
- dreary
- gray
- comfortless
- darkening
- black
- murky
- saturnine
- drear
- elegiac
- elegiacal
- funereal
- sombre
- grey
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- happy
- joyful
- joyous
- glad
- cheerful
- ecstatic
- jubilant
- delighted
- blissful
- gleeful
- cheery
- upbeat
- overjoyed
- exuberant
- buoyant
- elated
- merry
- exultant
- euphoric
- excited
- sunny
- enraptured
- rapturous
- jolly
- buoyed
- optimistic
- exhilarated
- jovial
- hopeful
- chipper
- mirthful
- rhapsodic
- rhapsodical
- rosy
- blithe
- jocular
- thrilled
- jocund
- blithesome
- jocose
- entranced
- satisfied
- gladdened
- sanguine
- gladsome
- energetic
- lightsome
- spirited
- encouraged
- vital
- smiling
- pleased
- frisky
- vivacious
- perky
- content
- laughing
- gratified
- unconcerned
- lively
- animated
- careless
- peppy
- bouncing
- sprightly
- carefree
- springy
- jaunty
- heartened
- zippy
- grinning
- easygoing
- lighthearted
- cavalier
- boon
- beaming
- insouciant
- sprightful
- happy-go-lucky
- devil-may-care
2
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
- unfortunate
- unfavorable
- disastrous
- unlucky
- doomed
- luckless
- hapless
- tragic
- adverse
- jinxed
- damned
- ill-starred
- snakebitten
- ill-fated
- tragical
- inauspicious
- snakebit
- catastrophic
- unpromising
- hard-luck
- star-crossed
- ill
- calamitous
- accursed
- untoward
- accurst
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- happy
- lucky
- fortunate
- privileged
- favored
- favorable
- gifted
- promising
- fair
- golden
- blessed
- blest
- propitious
- auspicious
3
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
- unsuitable
- inappropriate
- wrong
- improper
- incorrect
- unfit
- unfortunate
- irrelevant
- unseemly
- bad
- incongruous
- unacceptable
- inept
- infelicitous
- inconsistent
- awkward
- indecorous
- perverse
- unbecoming
- inapt
- amiss
- graceless
- unapt
- untoward
- naughty
- malapropos
- unsatisfactory
- inapposite
- untimely
- uncongenial
- out of place
- inopportune
- inapplicable
- out of the way
- sinful
- incompatible
- immaterial
- mismatched
- unseasonable
- forbidden
- extraneous
- blameworthy
- blamable
- irrelative
- prohibited
- censurable
- banned
- barred
- disallowed
- ungraceful
- proscribed
- outlawed
- gauche
- interdicted
- misbecoming
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- happy
- appropriate
- suitable
- correct
- right
- meet
- proper
- fortunate
- becoming
- relative
- fitting
- relevant
- fit
- seemly
- felicitous
- applicable
- timely
- apt
- genteel
- opportune
- congenial
- decorous
- befitting
- harmonious
- pointed
- permitted
- compatible
- material
- pat
- seasonable
- satisfactory
- authorized
- germane
- acceptable
- apposite
- adequate
- okay
- endorsed
- approved
- promoted
- allowed
- fine
- supported
- licensed
- encouraged
- decent
- tolerable
- respectable
- sanctioned
- kosher
- apropos
- indorsed
- creditable
- passable
- commendable
- blameless
- all right
- exemplary
- harmonious
- balanced
- irreproachable
- abetted
- companionate
- consonant
- congruous
- OK
- everer
- everest
- Everest
- Everest, Mount
- everests
- Everett
- everglade
- everglade kite
- everglades
- Everglades
- everglades kite
- evergladeses
- evergladesses
- evergreen
- evergreen beech
- evergreen bittersweet
- evergreen blueberry
- evergreen cherry
- evergreen grass
- evergreen magnolia
- evergreen millet
- evergreen oak
- evergreen thorn
- evergreen winterberry
- evergreen wood fern