Synonyms

disappoint

American

[dis-uh-point] / ˌdɪs əˈpɔɪnt /

verb (used with object)

to fail to fulfill the expectations or wishes of.

His gross ingratitude disappointed us.

Synonyms:

disenchant, dishearten, disillusion, sadden
to defeat the fulfillment of (hopes, plans, etc.); thwart; frustrate.

to be disappointed in love.

verb (used without object)

to bring or cause disappointment.

disappoint British

/ ˌdɪsəˈpɔɪnt /

verb

to fail to meet the expectations, hopes, desires, or standards of; let down
to prevent the fulfilment of (a plan, intention, etc); frustrate; thwart

"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

Derived Forms

disappointer

noun

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of disappoint

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English word from Middle French word desappointer. See dis- ¹, appoint

Explanation

When you fail to meet people's expectations, you disappoint them. You can also disappoint yourself or find that things let you down, like a rainy trip to the beach that disappoints you. The word disappoint comes from the Middle French word desappointer, which meant "dispossess of appointed office," in the 14th century. Today, disappoint can apply to anyone or anything that does not achieve the expected results — and ways to express that we are disappointed go beyond firing people or kicking them out of office. For example, if you buy a product that disappoints, you won't buy it again.

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Vocabulary lists containing disappoint

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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.

See Examples For:

disappoint disappoints disappointed disappointing

Eala saw her bid for gold end in the last four to disappoint her throng of supporters.

From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026

“He tells me … that he’s looking forward to coming home, and I hate to disappoint him and tell him that he might not come home. So I don’t say anything,” Lee Arguello said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026

"He's there, very sort of semi-routine. I hate to disappoint people. We would like to see the war with Ukraine end," Trump said in an interview with conservative radio host Glenn Beck.

From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026

Growth did disappoint, as Warsh and his colleagues feared.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026

“I am sorry to disappoint you, Edward,” Mater Lumley said, in a voice both calm and steely.

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood

If the release disappoints market expectations, that will weigh heavily on the company’s valuation, they said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 23, 2026

Hissey sees little risk it disappoints on FY 2026 guidance now.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 16, 2026

Kohl’s reports better-than-expected earnings for its latest quarter, though guidance disappoints.

From Barron's ● Mar. 10, 2026

"I wouldn't want to be a baker who disappoints her, but I can see her being very encouraging at the same time."

From BBC ● Feb. 14, 2026

The thought of her there both thrills and disappoints me, and then I feel sick for feeling disappointed.

From "The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins

Devon’s departure has saddened and disappointed Larry Nichols, people close to him said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026

He was disappointed to learn just how much the fares would increase without any gains for riders, and he questioned the rationale.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 4, 2026

Now, two years on, she told the BBC how she and her friends felt "overwhelmed" and "disappointed", comparing the atmosphere on campus to a "dark cloud".

From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026

That is not to say Clayton, who at 25 became the youngest state party chair in the country in 2023 when she ousted an establishment-backed incumbent, has not at times been disappointed.

From Salon ● Oct. 2, 2026

It was only one of the many ways in which she disappointed her mother.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Less than two disappointing seasons into Underwood’s career, Michigan is grappling with buyer’s remorse—and the Wolverines aren’t alone.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026

Of course, this result is disappointing but I'm here and I'm full of energy.

From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026

Speculation that Kelce might retire swirled around after last season’s disappointing finish.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026

In company news, fast-fashion giant Shein fell six percent in Hong Kong after releasing disappointing earnings.

From Barron's ● Sep. 29, 2026

Maybe I don’t want Dad’s kind of success, if it means disappointing people I care about and never getting too attached.

From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023