less than successful

USAGE SUMMARY

"less than successful" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a venture that has not been particularly successful or has even failed. For example, "The new restaurant's opening night was less than successful."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

48 human-written examples

It's also less than successful.

The New York Times - Arts

Which practices were less than successful?

Cornell University

Montebourg's previous interventions have proven less than successful.

The Guardian

Describes his less than successful early attempts to transplant hair.

The New Yorker

Unfortunately, most of these efforts have been less than successful.

The Guardian - Film

But that shortcut appears to have been less than successful.

The New York Times - Health

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

11 human-written examples

In his turn, he wound up as a less-than-successful musician and songwriter.

The Guardian - Music

Looking outside your company, you should extend your benchmarking exercises to include less-than-successful firms.

Harvard Business Review

That ended his less-than-successful night when Farrell summoned Junichi Tazawa to face Holliday.

The New York Times

This is despite the less-than-successful experience with the first prison "hulk" moored off Portland.

The Economist

She is determined to "get TV right" after a couple of less-than-successful attempts.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "less than successful" to soften the impact of negative outcomes, especially in professional or sensitive contexts. It provides a more nuanced way to describe situations that didn't fully meet expectations without being overly harsh.

Common error

While "less than successful" is versatile, avoid overusing it in highly formal or scientific writing. Opt for more precise and descriptive language to convey the specific reasons for the lack of success.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "less than successful" functions as a qualifying adjective phrase. It modifies a noun, indicating that something did not achieve the desired level of success. As Ludwig AI explains, it's considered grammatically sound and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Academia

18%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Wiki

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "less than successful" is a versatile and widely used phrase that functions as a qualifying adjective. According to Ludwig, the phrase is considered grammatically correct and appropriate for use in written English. Its primary purpose is to express a lack of complete success in a tactful or nuanced way, making it suitable for various contexts, particularly in news and media, academia, and general communication. While highly versatile, it is important to consider the context and select the most appropriate synonym, as there are many alternatives. Ludwig AI examples and the high source quality score confirm its widespread acceptance and reliability.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unsuccessful

Direct synonym, implying a failure to achieve the desired outcome.

failed

Stronger term suggesting complete lack of success.

disappointing

Indicates that the outcome did not meet expectations.

suboptimal

More formal term suggesting the outcome was below the best possible.

fell short

Implies that an attempt was made but did not reach the goal.

flawed

Indicates that there were inherent problems that prevented success.

ineffective

Highlights the lack of desired impact or results.

abortive

Suggests that something was started but failed to complete.

fruitless

Implies that effort was expended but yielded no positive results.

unproductive

Focuses on the lack of output or beneficial results.

FAQs

How can I use "less than successful" in a sentence?

You can use "less than successful" to describe projects, attempts, or ventures that did not achieve the desired outcome. For example, "The company's marketing campaign was "less than successful", resulting in lower-than-expected sales".

What are some alternatives to saying "less than successful"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives such as "unsuccessful", "failed", "disappointing", or "suboptimal".

Is it better to say "unsuccessful" or "less than successful"?

While both terms are acceptable, "less than successful" is often used as a more diplomatic or nuanced way to describe a failure. "Unsuccessful" is a more direct and potentially harsher term.

What does "less than successful" imply?

The phrase "less than successful" implies that while an effort was made, it did not achieve the desired outcome or meet expectations. It suggests a degree of failure without being overly negative or definitive.