letdown

American  

[let-doun] / ˈlɛtˌdaʊn /

Or let-down

noun

1. a decrease in volume, force, energy, etc..

   a letdown in sales; a general letdown of social barriers.

2. disillusionment, discouragement, or disappointment.

   The job was a letdown.

3. depression; deflation.

   He felt a terrible letdown at the end of the play.

4. the accelerated movement of milk into the mammary glands of lactating mammals upon stimulation, as by massage or suckling.

5. Aeronautics. the descent of an aircraft from a higher to a lower altitude preparatory to making an approach and landing or to making a target run or the like.

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Etymology

Origin of letdown

First recorded in 1760–70; noun use of verb phrase let down

Example Sentences

Or are the Huskies and Ducks destined to spend the weekend in Letdown City after their taxing affair a few days ago?

From Seattle Times • Oct. 18, 2023

Stanford Result: loss Record: 3-1/0-1 Comment: The September road takes a detour through Letdown City as Stanford, which is coming off a bye, takes full advantage of the extra prep time and UW’s lingering euphoria.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 30, 2022

She’s “so stoked” to be on the Letdown, but jokes that she doesn’t know what she’ll do if it goes to a second season.

From The Guardian • Jun. 29, 2017

Letdown for Ravens Marshawn Lynch scored Seattle’s only touchdown on a 1-yard plunge and the Seahawks forced three turnovers in a surprising 22-17 victory over the Ravens.

From New York Times • Nov. 14, 2011

Eight years later, their hard-rocking hit, "Meant to Live," the first single from their sophomore album, The Beautiful Letdown, is topping the Billboard and Top 20 list on MTV.

From Time Magazine Archive

Related Words

• anticlimax
• comedown
• setback