- past tense form of disappoint.
- past participle of disappoint.
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
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.
Disappointed fans have spoken to the BBC following Canadian rapper Drake's cancellation of his concert in Manchester on Monday due to "travel logistics".
From BBC • Jul. 28, 2025
Norris said: "A tough race. I made too many mistakes. A messy race from me. Disappointed not to bring home a one-two for McLaren."
From BBC • Apr. 13, 2025
Disappointed fans took to the post’s comments section to share their frustration, lamenting the late notice and alleging that Ticketmaster had yet to share any communication about the postponement.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 9, 2024
Disappointed, exhausted, and bedraggled, Albright sent a hail mary to the Frothville WhatsApp thread, entreating us to donate money to hire laborers.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 9, 2024
Disappointed murmurs from the audience floated into the hallway.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
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.
