- past participle of disappoint.
- past tense form 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
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Hooked on a Feeling, List 1
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Yields on long-term US Treasury bonds surged Wednesday after a $6 billion government bond buyback that disappointed markets that had expected a bigger number.
From Barron's ● Sep. 9, 2026
Shares of Victoria’s Secret took a dive in early Thursday trading, as investors had high hopes for the lingerie maker’s fiscal second-quarter earnings report but were disappointed by a slight sales miss.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 3, 2026
As LA Jazz Festival founder Martin Ludlow reflects on how his festival broke down days before launch, he says he’s disappointed that it’s become the “flop of the moment.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026
NBA commissioner Adam Silver said he was "deeply disappointed" by the Clippers' "flagrant violations" of the rules and said he believed the "severity of the penalties reflects the seriousness of the violations".
From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026
When we got back to school on Monday morning, though, I was a little disappointed.
From "The World According to Humphrey" by Betty G. Birney
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.
