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Synonyms

crestfallen

American  
[krest-faw-luhn] / ˈkrɛstˌfɔ lən /

adjective

  1. dejected; dispirited; discouraged.

  2. having a drooping crest or head.

crestfallen British  
/ ˈkrɛstˌfɔːlən /

adjective

  1. dejected, depressed, or disheartened

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • crestfallenly adverb
  • crestfallenness noun

Etymology

Origin of crestfallen

First recorded in 1580–90; crest + fallen

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.

Fatemah, who was standing in line for bread at a neighborhood bakery, seemed crestfallen as she explained how this Nowruz, which means “new day” in Persian, was even worse than others.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026

A crestfallen Howe admitted he was not doing his job "well enough" after his side were booed off following a bruising defeat against Brentford at St James' Park earlier this month.

From BBC • Feb. 18, 2026

“She was crestfallen, but she recovered quickly,” Nuñez narrates dramatically as she drives away.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 9, 2025

"The Champions League is a wonderful competition," said a crestfallen Rodgers after his side failed to make it for a fourth consecutive season.

From BBC • Aug. 26, 2025

Sul Ross looked crestfallen, and I added, “And Butterfly is good, too, Sully. Maybe I’ll call him Belle the Butterfly.”

From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly

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.