not even successful

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "not even successful" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to emphasize that something has failed to achieve success, often in a context where success was expected or hoped for. Example: "Despite all the effort put into the project, it was not even successful in attracting a single investor."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

In fact, the spies were not even successful enough to have espionage charges brought against them.

The Economist

Noonan claims that the Brock/Rosen objection is not even successful against the letter of the original proposal in Rosen 1990 (Noonan 1994, p. 133).

SEP

The artist called Holtmann a "self-proclaimed Philistine [who is] not even successful as a hog farmer".

Wikipedia

Even if the British had made promises, they would have had little effect on the militarily inexperienced Christians, who would then have had to fight a large and well-trained army in support of a beleaguered army which was not even successful.

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

"He said, 'I wasn't even successful with this today.

The New York Times

"All that Icelandic music grew into today was planted during those years, though the original music wasn't even successful until eight years later," said Asmundur Jonsson, who started the label Smeklyeysa (Bad Taste) with members of the Sugarcubes.

The New York Times - Arts

If events at the turn of the decade had shown rock stars to be pretty milquetoast revolutionaries, then Nixon's demolition of McGovern in the 1972 election demonstrated they weren't even successful mainstream campaigners, and for the first half of the 70s, American music's rebel energy resided with soul music, not rock.

The Guardian - Music

There are isolated cases of election-related crimes, but these mostly affect minor local elections and often aren't even successful.

Vice

I share this not for sensationalism or sympathy, or to hold your attention for the next 9 minutes as desperate as I am to do so, but to persuade you that no life, not even a successful life, perhaps especially not a successful life, is lived as an unbroken string of successes.

Huffington Post

And then putting a lunatic in power … he's just a fool – incredibly shallow and a liar – he's not even that successful, not even that rich.

The Guardian

And to discourage him from having children (which may not even be successful) you are punishing everyone who has a large family.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "not even successful" to emphasize a surprising lack of success, especially when some degree of success might have been expected.

Common error

While acceptable, "not even successful" can sound slightly informal. In highly formal writing, consider using more direct or nuanced alternatives like "unsuccessful" or "did not achieve the desired outcome".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "not even successful" functions as an adjectival phrase that modifies a noun or pronoun, indicating a lack of achievement or positive outcome. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it emphasizes the absence of success.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Wiki

30%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "not even successful" is a versatile expression used to emphasize a lack of achievement, particularly when some degree of success was expected. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and common usage. While grammatically sound and prevalent in news, media, and scientific contexts, writers should be mindful of its slightly informal tone and consider more formal alternatives like "unsuccessful" in certain situations. Understanding the nuances of this phrase can enhance clarity and precision in writing, allowing for effective communication of disappointment or criticism regarding a lack of positive outcomes.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

not at all successful

Emphasizes the complete absence of success.

far from successful

Highlights the significant distance from achieving success.

not particularly successful

Indicates a mild degree of failure or limited success.

unsuccessful

A more direct and concise synonym for lacking success.

not remotely successful

Stresses that there was no success.

not demonstrably successful

Emphasizes that success can't be demonstrated.

failed to succeed

Highlights the act of not achieving success.

did not succeed

Directly states the absence of success.

fell short of success

Suggests that efforts didn't fully reach the goal of success.

to no avail

Implies that efforts were made without achieving the desired result.

FAQs

How can I use "not even successful" in a sentence?

Use "not even successful" to emphasize the absence of a positive outcome, often where some degree of success was anticipated. For instance, "The marketing campaign was "not even successful" in reaching its target audience".

What are some alternatives to "not even successful"?

Depending on the context, you can use phrases like "unsuccessful", "not at all successful", or "far from successful" to convey a similar meaning.

Is it more appropriate to say "not successful" or "not even successful"?

"Not even successful" adds emphasis. "Not successful" is a straightforward statement of failure, while "not even successful" underscores a surprising or disappointing lack of positive results.

What is the difference between "not successful" and "not particularly successful"?

"Not successful" implies a complete lack of success. "Not particularly successful" suggests a minimal level of success, but one that is ultimately insufficient or disappointing.