successful to

USAGE SUMMARY

'successful to' is not a grammatically correct phrase in written English and should not be used.
Instead, one might use the phrase 'successful in' or 'successful at', depending on the context. For example, you can say, "He was successful in his job search." or "She was successful at completing the project."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Is this response successful? to this argument?

Yale University

They're probably too successful to bother.

The Washington Post

Who would we consider "too successful" to be ill?

The Guardian

"We were successful to stop this round of the war".

The New Yorker

"That's what made me successful to this point".

The New York Times - Arts

Do you think it would be "successful" to a network?

The New York Times

"Being successful to me is happiness," he decides.

The Guardian - Music

"It is the most successful, to date," he said.

The New York Times

These have always felt less successful to me.

The Washington Post

Correlation methods using strain measurements are also successful to locate a ruptured cable.

Engineering Structures

Beyond 100GeV, however, only a few measurements were successful to observe the absolute flux of electrons.

Advances in Space Research

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "successful in" or "successful at" instead of "successful to". The choice between "in" and "at" depends on whether you are referring to a field/area or a specific task/activity.

Common error

Avoid using "to" after "successful". The correct prepositions are "in" and "at". For example, say "successful in business" or "successful at solving the problem", not "successful to business" or "successful to solving the problem".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "successful to" is grammatically incorrect and functions as an erroneous attempt to connect the adjective "successful" with a following noun or gerund. This phrase is often intended to express achievement or proficiency in a specific area, but it misuses the preposition.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

35%

News & Media

35%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "successful to" is grammatically incorrect. According to Ludwig AI, the correct prepositions to use with "successful" are "in" and "at". The choice depends on the context: use "successful in" when referring to a field or area (e.g., "successful in business") and "successful at" when referring to a specific task or activity (e.g., "successful at problem-solving"). Despite its frequent appearance, particularly in scientific and news media contexts, using "successful to" constitutes an error that should be avoided in favor of grammatically sound alternatives. Remember to use "successful in" or "successful at" to convey your intended meaning accurately.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

successful in

Uses the correct preposition "in" to indicate the area of success.

successful at

Uses the correct preposition "at" to indicate the activity where success was achieved.

achieved success

Replaces "successful" with the verb "achieved" for a different grammatical structure.

had success with

Emphasizes the experience of having success.

prospered in

Implies a greater level of flourishing or thriving.

flourished in

Suggests a high degree of success and growth.

triumphant in

Conveys a sense of victory or overcoming challenges.

excelling in

Highlights outstanding performance and skill.

victorious in

Emphasizes winning or achieving a goal against opposition.

thrived in

Implies survival and growth under favorable conditions.

FAQs

What is the correct way to use "successful" with a preposition?

The correct prepositions to use with "successful" are "in" and "at", depending on the context. Use "successful in" when referring to a field or area, and "successful at" when referring to a specific task or activity. For example, you can say, "He was "successful in his career"" or "She was "successful at completing the project"".

What can I say instead of "successful to"?

Instead of "successful to", you can use alternatives like "successful in" or "successful at" depending on the context.

Is it grammatically correct to say "successful to"?

No, it is not grammatically correct to say "successful to". The correct prepositions to use are "in" or "at". Therefore, you should say "successful in" or "successful at" instead.

How do I choose between "successful in" and "successful at"?

Choose "successful in" when referring to a broader area or field of endeavor (e.g., "successful in business"). Use "successful at" when referring to a specific task, activity, or skill (e.g., "successful at problem-solving").