are only successful

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "are only successful" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that success is limited to a specific group or condition. Example: "Those who work hard and stay focused are only successful in achieving their goals."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

21 human-written examples

"We are only successful if our patients are engaged and using the site," Mr. Heywood said.

The New York Times

CCS schemes are only successful if the CO2 remains successfully sequestered underground for many hundreds of years.

Princeton University

Government efforts to introduce shorter, flexible and fixed term tenancies are only successful because landlords believe they are a valuable tool for their business.

The Guardian

The challenge of most conductive materials is that they emerge from a static platform and in placement force the living system to adapt to placement, dimension, different properties, and eventually are only successful in degradation and replacement, or in integration.

SAS Journal

Customers rate it even lower, saying that the same businesses are only successful about 39% of the time.

Forbes

Usually, traditional solution methods involve huge computational load when solving this type of problem and they are only successful for some special bilevel cases.

Journal of Inequalities and Applications

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

39 human-written examples

But that's only successful when she's really on top.

The New Yorker

"Other bands say we're only successful because we're girls, or because we have good management," she shrugs.

The Guardian - Music

However, it being Christmas time, my repeated attempts to rearrange the appointment by telephone were only successful on 28 December.

The Guardian

The Harry Potter films were only successful because they could capitalise on an existing series of beloved books.

The Guardian - Film

Composting these biowastes was only successful when using a bulking agent or if sufficient porosity was supported.

Waste Management

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "are only successful", clearly define the conditions or factors that lead to success to provide context and avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid assuming that the conditions for success "are only successful" in one context will automatically apply to all situations. Always evaluate the specific requirements for each scenario.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "are only successful" functions as a predicate adjective phrase, modifying a subject to indicate that success is conditional. As Ludwig AI points out, this implies that success is not guaranteed and depends on specific criteria.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

41%

Science

41%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Academia

4%

Formal & Business

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "are only successful" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression to indicate that success is contingent upon specific conditions. As Ludwig AI states, it functions as a predicate adjective phrase, highlighting the limited scope of success. The phrase is found frequently in news and media, as well as in scientific contexts. When using "are only successful", be sure to specify what conditions must be met for success to occur, avoiding overgeneralizations. Consider alternatives like "are conditionally successful" or "are exclusively effective" for nuanced meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

are conditionally victorious

Explicitly states that victory (success) is dependent on certain conditions.

are strictly productive

Emphasizes that productivity (success) is strictly limited to certain conditions.

are exclusively effective

Emphasizes exclusivity in effectiveness, meaning successful only under specific conditions.

are exclusively flourishing

Like 'exclusively effective', this confines flourishing (success) to particular instances.

are solely triumphant

Focuses on 'solely', restricting success to particular instances.

are specifically fruitful

Indicates that fruitfulness (success) is tied to specific contexts.

are singularly advantageous

Highlights the unique advantage leading to success in specific scenarios.

are uniquely prosperous

Highlights the uniqueness of success in certain situations.

are particularly beneficial

Implies that benefits (success) are notable in certain cases.

are merely effective

Suggests that success is limited or modest.

FAQs

How can I use "are only successful" in a sentence?

Use "are only successful" to indicate that a particular outcome or result is achieved only under specific conditions. For example, "These strategies "are only successful" if implemented consistently".

What's the difference between "are only successful" and "are always successful"?

"Are only successful" implies conditional success, whereas "are always successful" suggests success in every instance. The former is more restrictive and context-dependent.

What can I say instead of "are only successful"?

You can use alternatives like "are conditionally successful", "are successful only when", or "are exclusively effective" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "are only successful"?

It's appropriate to use the phrase when you want to emphasize the specific criteria or circumstances necessary for achieving a desired outcome, highlighting that success is not guaranteed in all situations.