disappointed
Americanadjective
-
depressed or discouraged by the failure of one's hopes or expectations.
a disappointed suitor.
-
Obsolete. inadequately appointed; ill-equipped.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of disappointed
First recorded in 1545–55; disappoint + -ed 2
Explanation
Disappointed means discouraged or sad because what you hoped for didn't happen. If you write a fan letter to your favorite actress hoping for a personal reply, you're likely to be disappointed. The original French root of disappointed is desappointer, which has one meaning that's basically "to fail to keep an appointment." So you might imagine the word disappointed like this: you made an appointment with a friend, but he blew it off. What could leave you more disappointed than that?
Vocabulary lists containing disappointed
In the Mood? 100 Words to Describe Emotions
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"My Favorite Chaperone," Vocabulary from the short story
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Hooked on a Feeling, List 1
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
By 2018, it was trying to get back into the cancer-drug business, though an early deal in that effort, the 2019 acquisition of Tesaro, disappointed investors because sales of a key drug have been sluggish.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026
Christopher Woolmer, chair of the council's environment committee, said he was "deeply disappointed" by the decision, which the council had consistently opposed.
From BBC • Jun. 7, 2026
Anyone who buys that line is going to be very disappointed.
From Salon • Jun. 7, 2026
Broadcom’s revenue guidance, despite an earnings beat, disappointed investors, leading to wider chip stock declines.
From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026
Elisha was disappointed in Maggie’s broken promise; but even he couldn’t resist asking for a bit of celebrity gossip, “Tell me how Mrs. Pierce got on!”
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
