uhn-HAP-ee
/əˈnhæpi/
unhappy is pronounced uhn-HAP-ee (/əˈnhæpi/). Unhappy means feeling or showing sadness or dissatisfaction. It describes a mood or situation that is not happy, often implying disappointment, sorrow, or discontent. The term combines the prefix un- with happy, signaling a negation of happiness and a state of emotional dissatisfaction or gloom.
Unhappy means feeling or showing sadness or dissatisfaction. It describes a mood or situation that is not happy, often implying disappointment, sorrow, or discontent. The term combines the prefix un- with happy, signaling a negation of happiness and a state of emotional dissatisfaction or gloom.
"She looked unhappy after receiving the news."
"The team was unhappy with the referee’s decision."
"He felt unhappy about his performance and vowed to improve."
Pronounce as /ʌnˈhæpi/ in US English and /ənˈhæpi/ in UK/AU, with primary stress on the second syllable: un-HAP-py. Start with a relaxed short /ʌ/ as in 'cup,' then /n/, then a crisp /ˈhæ/ with an open jaw for the /æ/ as in 'cat,' followed by /pi/ with a light, quick /i/. Tip: ensure the first syllable is unstressed in UK/AU variants: /ən/ before the stressed /hæ/.
Common errors: (1) Dropping the stress on the second syllable, producing un-happy with even stress; (2) Mispronouncing /ʌ/ as /ɜː/ or /æ/; (3) Slurring the final /i/ into a schwa; correct by keeping a clear /i/ vowel in 'py' and finishing with a short, energetic /i/.
US tends to use /ʌnˈhæpi/, with rhoticity not affecting the syllable onset but keeping /r/ absent. UK/AU typically use /ənˈhæpi/ with a slightly shorter /ɪ/ and less pronounced /r/; AU often features tighter vowel quality and a more clipped /ɪ/ in the second syllable. The main difference is the initial unstressed /ə/ in UK/AU vs /ʌ/ in US, and the second syllable stress pattern remains the same.
The difficulty lies in multi-syllabic word stress and vowel transitions: you must move from a quick, neutral /ʌ/ or /ə/ to a strong /hæ/ with an open jaw, then to a short /i/ in 'py'. Coordinating the syllable-timed rhythm and ensuring the final /i/ remains clear can be challenging, especially when speaking quickly or in connected speech.
The most unique aspect is the initial weak syllable in UK/AU variants: /ən/ vs US /ʌn/. This subtle shift changes timing and timbre across dialects, impacting listener expectations. Paying attention to the light, almost unstressed first syllable helps you land the stressed /hæ/ accurately and keeps the final /i/ crisp.
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Unhappy derives from the prefix un- meaning 'not' or 'reverse of,' attached to happy. The base adjective happy comes from Old Norse happid? or Old English happ, related to luck or fortune, evolving in Middle English to mean a state of good fortune or cheer. The negative form un- appeared in English by the 13th century as a productive negating prefix, generating opposites like unhappy, undo, unseen, and unclear. Over time, unhappy broadened from primarily meaning 'not happy' to 'not content or pleased' in social and moral contexts, extending to emotional states and general dissatisfaction. By Early Modern English, unhappy could convey melancholy or discontent beyond simple lack of happiness, paralleling shifts in mood-language as societies grappled with complex emotional states. First known usages appear in medieval and early modern texts, aligning with the growth of psychology-inspired language and everyday discourse about feelings and well-being.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "unhappy" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "unhappy" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "unhappy"
-ppy sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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