disappointed

American  

[dis-uh-poin-tid] / ˌdɪs əˈpɔɪn tɪd /

adjective

1. depressed or discouraged by the failure of one's hopes or expectations.

   a disappointed suitor.

2. Obsolete. inadequately appointed; ill-equipped.

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disappointed British  

/ ˌdɪsəˈpɔɪntɪd /

adjective

1. saddened by the failure of an expectation, etc

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Other Word Forms

• disappointedly adverb
• undisappointed adjective

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?

Example Sentences

“To say we are disappointed by the lack of urgency and forthrightness from the City Attorney’s office is an understatement,” the union’s statement said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

Leicester were "disappointed" when it was announced they were docked six points on 5 February and described the punishment as "disproportionate".

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

Instead, May pursued players who had disappointed at their former schools, betting that the right combination of misfits could turn into a superteam.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

Hardcore “Love, Death & Robots” viewers were apparently disappointed that Fincher’s film failed to live up to any part of the title.

From Salon • Apr. 4, 2026

I am disappointed and go back to my sewing without saying another word on the subject.

From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar