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• disappointment
  disappointment

  noun

  the act or fact of disappointing.
• Disappointment
  Disappointment

  noun

  Cape 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

disappointments plural

1. the act or fact of disappointing.

   All of his efforts only led to the disappointment of his supporters.

   Synonyms:

   frustration, defeat, failure

2. the state or feeling of being disappointed.

   Her disappointment was very great when she didn't get the job.

3. a person or thing that disappoints.

   The play was a disappointment.

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Disappointment ² American  

[dis-uh-point-muhnt] / ˌdɪs əˈpɔɪnt mənt /

noun

1. Cape Disappointment, a cape in southwestern Washington State, projecting into the Pacific Ocean on the north of the mouth of the Columbia River.

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disappointment British  

/ ˌdɪsəˈpɔɪntmənt /

noun

1. the act of disappointing or the state of being disappointed

2. a person, thing, or state of affairs that disappoints

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• predisappointment
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• disappointments
  plural

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

disappointment Disappointment disappointments

Asian equities were seeing a rotation away from tech, Tickmill Group said, adding that while the AI story hadn’t disappeared, investor tolerance for disappointment had collapsed.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026

Emily outlined how she recovered from her disappointment of finishing fourth to clinch her bronze.

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

"I'm sort of past the point of disappointment now, because it's just, if I'm continuing to be disappointed with everything that goes on, I'll just be disappointed every day of the week," Russell said.

From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026

While countries have expressed disappointment, Cutler said, there are no signs of retaliation, "knowing full well they would risk further US tariff escalation."

From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026

I was floored by the vileness—and by the disappointment she must be feeling.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu

Disappointment from Broadcom’s earnings report Wednesday evening triggered the first wave of AI stock selling on Thursday, but the slide spilled over into early morning trading today.

From Barron's ● Jun. 5, 2026

Disappointment is a familiar feeling when it comes to Find a Grave.

From Slate ● Oct. 24, 2024

Disappointment coursed through the visiting locker room at Ford Field, but players said they were proud of what they accomplished, and looked forward to next season.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 16, 2024

Cape Disappointment State Park — the name alone will intrigue kids — features year-round camping for the adventurous family or cabins, yurts and historic lightkeeper’s residences for the less so.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 27, 2023

Disappointment is building in me, and impatience; and then anxiety.

From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood

“These temporary shortages may also amplify overinvestment, as firms attempt to lock in future capacity through long-dated contracts that further expose them to any disappointments in demand.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026

But a series of product disappointments and overly ambitious promises have left AR in the dust.

From Barron's ● Jun. 18, 2026

Lee, then, is left wondering if this is the true nature of mortality: a long pattern of disappointments, up to and including the moment you gasp your final breath.

From Slate ● Jun. 11, 2026

Celtic have had their share of final-day triumphs and disappointments since 1986.

From BBC ● May 15, 2026

I’ve had disappointments and I’ve been lonely and frustrated and angry and all the crappy stuff everyone feels.

From "If I Stay" by Gayle Forman

Related Words

• adversity
• blow
• chagrin
• defeat
• discontent
• disenchantment
• disillusionment
• dissatisfaction
• failure
• frustration
• letdown
• regret
• setback