disappoint
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to fail to fulfill the expectations or wishes of.
His gross ingratitude disappointed us.
- Synonyms:
- disenchant, dishearten, disillusion, sadden
-
to defeat the fulfillment of (hopes, plans, etc.); thwart; frustrate.
to be disappointed in love.
verb (used without object)
verb
-
to fail to meet the expectations, hopes, desires, or standards of; let down
-
to prevent the fulfilment of (a plan, intention, etc); frustrate; thwart
Other Word Forms
- disappointer noun
Etymology
Origin of disappoint
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English word from Middle French word desappointer. See dis- 1, appoint
Explanation
When you fail to meet people's expectations, you disappoint them. You can also disappoint yourself or find that things let you down, like a rainy trip to the beach that disappoints you. The word disappoint comes from the Middle French word desappointer, which meant "dispossess of appointed office," in the 14th century. Today, disappoint can apply to anyone or anything that does not achieve the expected results — and ways to express that we are disappointed go beyond firing people or kicking them out of office. For example, if you buy a product that disappoints, you won't buy it again.
Vocabulary lists containing disappoint
Commonly Misspelled Words, List 4
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"The Fun They Had"
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Shiloh
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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.
I did not want to disappoint, so two days later I joined the club for dinner at a local restaurant.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026
Good Friday derbies between St Helens and Wigan rarely disappoint and the final stages of this encounter were no exception.
From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026
After staging a strong recovery Tuesday, the industrials-heavy DAX index slides 1.2% in Germany, with Rheinmetall falling 4.3% as newly reported profits disappoint investors.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026
Not to be outdone by the album’s soaring musical ambience, Styles’ lyrics never disappoint, blending his penchant for witticism with pop-culture philosophy.
From Salon • Mar. 6, 2026
Ob straightened his shoulders, and his face eased up a little, and he said, “We sure don’t want to disappoint him.”
From "Missing May" by Cynthia Rylant
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.
