almost successful

USAGE SUMMARY

"almost successful" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it in a sentence to indicate that an endeavor or attempt was close to success, but not quite. For example, "Despite the setbacks, Charlie's business was almost successful."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

24 human-written examples

Donovan was almost successful.

Independent

A few of the attempted marine landings were almost successful.

The Guardian

These attempts were almost successful, where they exposed more novel ideas for further developments.

Robotics and Autonomous Systems

This, the fifth attempt, follows within three months of an almost successful landing in December.

The Guardian

Recent research, contrary to the ridicule of traditional history texts, shows that the attempt was almost successful.

The Guardian

The chase goes on for a bit & when Benny is almost successful she calls the same policeman who came to help the accident victim.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

36 human-written examples

Mr. Frazier returned to school after years of singing and playing guitar in a succession of almost-successful bands, supporting himself by working in warehouses or as a welder.

The New York Times

The most successful ones almost always do.

Huffington Post

The horse-trading before the final vote may have plenty of substance — this round included a welcome amendment bringing back statutory PAYGO rules as well as an almost-successful effort to create a budget commission — but the final vote is pure politics.

The New Yorker

It was not until 1985 and the election of Mikhail Gorbachev as general secretary of the Communist Party that the Soviets began negotiations anew, leading to the almost-successful Reykjavik Summit in 1986 and, the following year, the INF Treaty itself.

The Washington Post

but from the almost-successful efforts of the actors not to bust up themselves.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "almost successful" to convey a sense of near-achievement, acknowledging the effort and progress made even if the ultimate goal wasn't fully realized.

Common error

Avoid using "almost successful" when the outcome was a definite success. "Almost successful" implies that the goal was not entirely achieved.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "almost successful" primarily functions as an adjective phrase modifying a noun, typically describing an attempt, effort, or endeavor. As confirmed by Ludwig, the phrase indicates that something was close to achieving success but did not fully reach it.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

47%

Science

23%

Encyclopedias

12%

Less common in

Wiki

12%

Academia

6%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "almost successful" is a common and grammatically sound expression used to describe situations where an attempt or endeavor came close to achieving its goal but ultimately did not fully succeed. As Ludwig AI confirms, its function is primarily adjectival, modifying nouns like 'attempt' or 'endeavor'. Usage ranges from neutral to slightly formal contexts, spanning News & Media, scientific publications and encyclopedias. While frequently used, it is crucial to distinguish it from "completely successful", as it emphasizes a lack of full attainment. Related phrases, such as "nearly successful" and "close to success", offer nuanced alternatives for expressing varying degrees of proximity to success.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

nearly successful

Emphasizes being very close to success.

virtually successful

Implies success in almost all aspects or to a very high degree.

close to success

Focuses on the proximity to achieving a positive result.

just about successful

Suggests a narrow margin of success.

on the verge of success

Highlights being at the very point of achieving the desired outcome.

approaching success

Implies movement towards a successful outcome.

nearing triumph

Uses a more emphatic term ("triumph") for success.

almost attained

Focuses on the idea of almost achieving something, not just success.

came close to succeeding

Rephrases the idea with the verb "succeed".

not quite successful

Emphasizes the lack of full success.

FAQs

How to use "almost successful" in a sentence?

You can use "almost successful" to describe an attempt or endeavor that came close to achieving its goal but ultimately fell short. For example, "The surgery was "nearly successful", but the patient still requires further treatment".

What can I say instead of "almost successful"?

You can use alternatives like ""nearly successful"", "virtually successful", or "close to success" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "almost successful" or "almost a success"?

Both phrases are grammatically correct, but they have slightly different nuances. "Almost successful" directly modifies a process or attempt. "Almost a success" refers to the entire event being close to a successful outcome. For example, 'The project was "almost a success", but it had critical failures'.

What's the difference between "almost successful" and "partially successful"?

"Almost successful" suggests a near miss, while "partially successful" implies that some aspects of the endeavor were successful, but others were not. 'The fund raising was "partially successful". We did not achieve our entire goal, but we made a good impact'.