Despite their efforts, the team was ultimately unsuccessful in winning the championship.
synonyms
unproductivefruitlessfailed
word origin — The word 'unsuccessful' originates from the prefix 'un-' meaning 'not' and 'successful', which comes from the Latin 'successus', meaning 'to come close after' or 'to follow closely'.
unsuccessful, meager, frugal, arable, foremost: meanings and examples
Learn these 5 words from SAT Vocabulary Level 2 set 230. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.
unsuccessful · adjective/ʌnˈsʌk.sɛs.fəl/
not achieving the desired outcome or goal
Despite their efforts, the team was ultimately unsuccessful in winning the championship.
Synonyms: unproductive, fruitless, failed
Origin: The word 'unsuccessful' originates from the prefix 'un-' meaning 'not' and 'successful', which comes from the Latin 'successus', meaning 'to come close after' or 'to follow closely'.
meager · adjective/ˈmiɡər/
lacking in quantity or quality
Despite working long hours, her meager income barely covered her basic expenses.
Synonyms: scant, sparse, thin
Origin: from Middle English 'megre', derived from Old French 'megre', which comes from Latin 'macr(us)', meaning 'lean' or 'thin'.
frugal · adjective/ˈfruːɡəl/
economical in use or expenditure not wasteful
Despite her lavish lifestyle, she was surprisingly frugal when it came to grocery shopping, often using coupons to save money.
Synonyms: thrifty, economical, sparing
Origin: Latin 'frugalis', from 'frux' meaning 'fruit, profit, or produce'
arable · adjective/ˈær.ə.bəl/
land capable of being plowed and used to grow crops
The farmers were thrilled to discover that the previously neglected land was now classified as arable and suitable for crop production.
Synonyms: cultivable, tillable, farmable
Origin: from Middle English 'arable', from Latin 'arabilis', from 'arare' meaning 'to plow'
foremost · adjective/ˈfɔrmoʊst/
most important or foremost in priority
The foremost priority for our team is to ensure the safety of all participants during the event.
Synonyms: most important, principal, primary
Origin: The word 'foremost' comes from the Old English 'forma' meaning 'first' and 'mōst' meaning 'most'.