unhappy
gb/ʌnhˈæpi/ us/ʌnhˈæpi/
A2
English
~ 2100
boldogtalan, elégedetlen, szomorú, kedvezőtlen, szerencsétlen
A2
1
Usage pattern:
[someone] is unhappy (about/with [something])
She was unhappy with the results of the exam.
Elégedetlen volt a vizsga eredményével.
He felt unhappy after hearing the bad news.
Szomorúnak érezte magát, miután meghallotta a rossz hírt.
Their dog seemed unhappy when left alone for too long.
I’m unhappy about how the meeting went.
The children looked unhappy in the cold weather.
Learner examples
I am unhappy today.
Ma szomorú vagyok.
She is unhappy with her job.
Elégedetlen a munkájával.
He looks unhappy in the photo.
They are unhappy because it is raining.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'unhappy' with 'angry'. While someone can be both, 'unhappy' usually refers to sadness or dissatisfaction, not anger.
Meaning
feeling sad or upset
Collocations
deeply unhappy
|feel unhappy
|unhappy childhood
|unhappy marriage
|unhappy with
Synonyms
sad (A more general and common word for feeling sorrowful.)
|
miserable (Stronger and more intense than 'unhappy', often implying great suffering.)
Antonyms
happy (Direct opposite, meaning feeling pleased or content.)
|
content (Implies being satisfied and at peace, the opposite of dissatisfaction.)
Themes
emotions
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Feeling sad or not pleased about something.
Experiencing or showing feelings of sadness, disappointment, or distress.
B1
2
Usage pattern:
an unhappy [event/situation/experience]
It was an unhappy ending to an otherwise good film.
Szomorú befejezése volt egy egyébként jó filmnek.
The company is in an unhappy situation due to falling sales.
A vállalat kedvezőtlen helyzetben van az eladások visszaesése miatt.
They had an unhappy experience at the restaurant.
We must try to avoid another unhappy mistake.
Learner examples
It was an unhappy day for us.
Szomorú nap volt számunkra.
The book has an unhappy ending.
A könyvnek szomorú a vége.
They are in an unhappy situation.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with 'sad' as a personal feeling. Here it describes events or situations, not emotions directly.
Meaning
causing sadness or trouble
Collocations
unhappy ending
|unhappy situation
|unhappy experience
|unhappy choice
Synonyms
unfortunate (Suggests bad luck or an unlucky result without necessarily implying strong emotion.)
|
regrettable (Implies that something is disappointing and should not have happened.)
Antonyms
fortunate (Indicates a positive or lucky outcome, opposite of an unfortunate one.)
|
pleasant (Describes something enjoyable and agreeable, opposite of unpleasant or sad-causing.)
Themes
emotions
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Making people feel sad or not satisfied.
Likely to cause sadness, dissatisfaction, or trouble; unfortunate.
Grammar
Dictionary form
unhappy
IPA
GB/ʌnhˈæpi/
US/ʌnhˈæpi/
Syllables & stress
un - happy (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (happy)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: unhappy
- Comparative: unhappier
- Superlative: unhappiest
Word family
Forms
unhappier
adjective
unhappiest
adjective
Negative and opposite forms
unhappiness
noun B2
unhappily
adverb
Expressions
an unhappy ending
1/ən ʌnhˈæpi ˈɛndɪŋ/
fixed phrase
sad or disappointing conclusion
A story or event that finishes in a sad way.
Examples
- The movie had an unhappy ending when the hero died.
- Their relationship came to an unhappy ending.
make [someone] unhappy
1/mˈeɪk sˈʌmwˌʌn ʌnhˈæpi/
fixed phrase
cause someone to be sad or upset
To do something that causes a person to feel sad or not pleased.
Examples
- It makes me unhappy when you ignore my calls.
- The news made him very unhappy.
unhappy with
1/ʌnhˈæpi wˈɪθ/
fixed phrase
dissatisfied with something
Not pleased about something.
Examples
- I’m unhappy with my current salary.
- She’s unhappy with how the project turned out.