disappointment
noun
the act or fact of disappointing.
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disappointment
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Disappointment
DisappointmentnounCape Disappointment, a cape in southwestern Washington State, projecting into the Pacific Ocean on the north of the mouth of the Columbia River.
disappointment
1 American
[dis-uh-point-muhnt]
/ ˌdɪs əˈpɔɪnt mənt /
noun
-
the act or fact of disappointing.
All of his efforts only led to the disappointment of his supporters.
- Synonyms:
- frustration, defeat, failure
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the state or feeling of being disappointed.
Her disappointment was very great when she didn't get the job.
-
a person or thing that disappoints.
The play was a disappointment.
Disappointment
2
American
[dis-uh-point-muhnt]
/ ˌdɪs əˈpɔɪnt mənt /
noun
disappointment
British
/ ˌdɪsəˈpɔɪntmənt /
noun
-
the act of disappointing or the state of being disappointed
-
a person, thing, or state of affairs that disappoints
Other Word Forms
- predisappointment noun
Etymology
Origin of disappointment
First recorded in 1605–15; disappoint + -ment
Explanation
A disappointment is what happens when things don't go your way. That sad, frustrated feeling of loss that follows? It's also called disappointment. The noun disappointment comes from the Middle French word disappointer, meaning “undo the appointment,” or “remove from office.” It is true that a friend canceling your plans or losing your job is a disappointment, but today disappointment can describe anything that crushes your hopes, ruins your day, or otherwise lets you down.
Vocabulary lists containing disappointment
Cormac McCarthy's "The Road"
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"Pass It On," "If There Be Pain," and "Sonnet 30"
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Orphan Train
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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.
Practically every man she meets proves himself a reliable vendor of disappointment.
From Salon • Apr. 29, 2026
Cornwall Council member Adrian Parsons, Liberal Democrat, said: "I'm hearing shock and disappointment from staff - they are worried about losing their jobs and about the future."
From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026
“Rambus reported first-quarter results that were roughly in line with consensus, a disappointment given the heightened expectations and significant runup in valuation into the print,” wrote William Blair analyst Sebastien Naji in a research note.
From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026
Supply-chain revenue was a disappointment as it fell 6.5% to $2.54 billion from $2.71 billion; analysts had modeled a flat performance.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 28, 2026
“Well! This séance has been a tremendous disappointment so far,” Lady Constance declared.
From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood
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.
