- past tense form of disappoint.
- past participle of disappoint.
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
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.
Disappointed Aston Villa manager Unai Emery walks off after the disappointing Premier League defeat at home to Everton.
From BBC • Jan. 18, 2026
Disappointed skiers and snowboarders took to social media to share videos of the muddy slopes.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 22, 2025
Disappointed to miss out on another European medal this month, the 30-year-old executed his tactic of shadowing Ingebrigtsen's moves perfectly.
From BBC • Mar. 23, 2025
Disappointed, exhausted, and bedraggled, Albright sent a hail mary to the Frothville WhatsApp thread, entreating us to donate money to hire laborers.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 9, 2024
Disappointed, the old man toppled painfully into gear, bumping into Seferino Pacheco, who had tears in his eyes.
From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols
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.
