English · Word Candidate

unhappy

/ʌnˈhæpi/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: unhappier · unhappiest · unhappies · unhappying

Sense 1

Meaning · English

Not happy; sad.

Adjective

Examples

I am unhappy.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

Not satisfied; unsatisfied.

Adjective

Examples

An unhappy customer is unlikely to return to your shop.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

A person who is not happy.

Noun

Examples

Leduc, as is true of many other unhappies, is largely a confessional writer: her subject is herself, and her gift is a driving, vivacious power that turns her incurable, inveterate unhappiness into a series of dramas […]

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 4

Meaning · English

To make or become unhappy; to sadden.

Verb

Examples

A happy gentleman in blood and lineaments, By you unhappied and disfigured clean

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “unhappy” mean?

Not happy; sad.

Is “unhappy” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.