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
- 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?
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
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Hooked on a Feeling, List 1
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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.
Outside court, Duggan's wife said she was disappointed by the decision and called on the government to intervene.
From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026
A spokesperson for AA and BSM driving schools said it was "disappointed with the outcome of the investigation" but "cooperated fully" throughout.
From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026
"I wonder if there were disappointed customers, or if they were just rowdy? Maybe they were excited at seeing these pictures."
From Barron's • Apr. 13, 2026
“To the extent that people are disappointed in this recovery, they pin their hopes on Spencer. That’s not a bad place for him to be.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026
“Do you think he’ll be disappointed if I don’t win?”
From "Caterpillar Summer" by Gillian McDunn
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.
