Success Meaning
/səkˈsɛs/Definition, CEFR level A1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounThe achievement of one's aim or goal.
nounFinancial profitability.
Sentence Examples
I'm certain of your success.
I'm sure your efforts will result in success.
The company has achieved considerable success in this market.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
None
Antonyms:
CEFR Practice Quiz
Years of effort finally resulted in the ____ they had dreamed of.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The opening of the new gallery was a great ____, with many people arriving to see the unique paintings.
Word Origin & History
Learned borrowing from Latin successus, from succēdō (“succeed”), from sub- (“next to”) + cēdō (“go, move”). Partly displaced native Old English spēd, whence Modern English speed.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Actually there was recently a talented young female bassoonist who gave up a promising career on that sturdy instrument, not to do something more feminine but to take up bullfighting. This is Patricia Hayes of San Angelo, Texas, who has had spectacular success in the arenas of Mexico and Portugal. Unfortunately she is not America's only matadoress."
— 1956 December 24, Cornelia Otis Skinner, “Women are misguided: They are still waging a shrill, ridiculous war over the dead issue of feminism”, in Life, volume 41, number 26, page 75:
"Republicans are launching a new nonprofit group to highlight the legislative successes of its vulnerable incumbents with a $2 million advertising blitz touting the work of five vulnerable GOP senators to protect Medicare."
— 2015 May 12, Alexandra Jaffe, “First on CNN: New Rove-linked group spends $2M to boost GOP incumbents”, in CNN:
"Instead Nokia decided better to stick with what they knew worked - good, solid, reliable mobile phones of the kind that had brought them success until then."
— 2013 September 24, Noreena Hertz, “Noreena Hertz: Don’t get stuck in your own success”, in CNN:
"There have been other drugs since reticulose that I became aware of the successes of, some even able to claim "cure," even turning people from HIV-positive to negative."
— 1998, Gavin Dillard, In the Flesh: Undressing for Success, page 141:
"There have been some surprising successes, though - the LTM's [London Transport Museum's] online gift shop is currently selling 75% more products during lockdown than it was in the same period last year."
— 2020 June 3, Sam Mullins OBE discusses with Stefanie Foster, “LTM: a new chapter begins at 40”, in Rail, page 53:
Explore More A1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
Years of effort finally resulted in the ____ they had dreamed of.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The opening of the new gallery was a great ____, with many people arriving to see the unique paintings.