varied success

USAGE SUMMARY

"varied success" is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use it to refer to a variety of outcomes, where some have been more successful than others, for example: The company has had varied success in its foray into international markets.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Wiki

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

49 human-written examples

As individual nations, the Brics have had varied success in developing fair societies.

The Guardian

This time straightforward Western synth-pop punches through, to varied success.

The New York Times - Arts

We had varied success, until she brought A Series of Unfortunate Events home from the school library.

The Guardian - Books

As shown here his work breaks down into three very different categories — installation art, gunpowder land art pieces (documented on video) and enormous gunpowder drawings — with markedly varied success.

The New York Times - Arts

Three weeks ago, Christie Whitman, the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, returned from a meeting in Italy to report that she had had "varied success in buying us time to fully engage" in international negotiations on global warming.

The New York Times

"Congress couldn't reach a consensus to reform the immigration laws, states are trying to fill in the gaps and they're having varied success, and local groups are trying to work through local ordinances, so it's just one part of a much bigger picture of immigration struggles in the U.S.," he said.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

11 human-written examples

45 46 These schemes have varied successes and limitations that may impede access to medicines.

BMJ Open

Moreover, efforts at improving understanding through the use of other medium of communication and enhanced consent forms have had varied successes.

BMC Medical Ethics

All five singles received varied chart success.

Wikipedia

To varied people success means different things.

Huffington Post

Recent attempts by curators and directors to join the tradition of using art to spark dialogue around questions of social justice, well-intentioned as they may have been, have varied in success.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "varied success" to objectively represent a situation where outcomes are not consistently positive, avoiding overly negative connotations.

Common error

Avoid using "varied success" without providing any context or examples of the successes and failures. Vague statements can leave the reader uninformed.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "varied success" functions as a noun phrase typically used as an object or complement in a sentence. It indicates that outcomes or results were not consistently positive but rather a mixture of successes and failures. Ludwig confirms its proper usage in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Science

33%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

9%

Encyclopedias

7%

Reference

6%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "varied success" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase to describe situations with mixed outcomes, as verified by Ludwig. It functions as a noun phrase to objectively convey that results were a combination of successes and failures. Usage spans across multiple registers, but most frequently appears in "News & Media" and scientific contexts. When writing, it is best practice to specify which aspects were successful and which were not. Alternative phrases include "mixed results" and "uneven success". Overall, the phrase effectively communicates a nuanced assessment of outcomes, highlighting both positive and negative aspects.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

mixed results

Focuses on the blend of positive and negative outcomes, less on the degree of success.

uneven success

Highlights the inconsistency in achieving successful outcomes.

inconsistent results

Emphasizes the lack of uniformity in the outcomes achieved.

patchy success

Suggests that success was achieved only in certain areas or instances.

limited success

Indicates that the degree of success was not substantial or widespread.

qualified success

Implies that the success was conditional or accompanied by certain limitations.

partial success

Highlights that only some aspects or parts were successful.

some successes and some failures

Explicitly states the presence of both positive and negative outcomes.

fluctuating fortunes

Describes ups and downs in terms of luck or achievement.

hit-or-miss

Indicates that outcomes are unpredictable, sometimes successful and sometimes not.

FAQs

How can I use "varied success" in a sentence?

You can use "varied success" to describe situations where outcomes are a mix of positive and negative results. For example, "The company has experienced "varied success" with its new marketing campaigns."

What are some alternatives to "varied success"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "mixed results", "uneven success", or "inconsistent results".

Is it better to say "varied successes" or "varied success"?

"Varied success" is generally used as a singular, uncountable noun phrase to describe the general state of having a mix of successful and unsuccessful outcomes. "Varied successes" can be used when referring to specific instances of success that are different from each other, but it's less common.

What does it mean when someone says something had "varied success"?

It means that whatever was attempted achieved some successes but also experienced failures or less favorable outcomes. The overall result is neither fully successful nor a complete failure.