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disillusionment

American  
[dis-i-loo-zhuhn-muhnt] / ˌdɪs ɪˈlu ʒən mənt /

noun

  1. the loss or destruction of illusions or idealistic beliefs; the state of having lost such illusions or beliefs.

    Her bitterness and disillusionment were complete when he refused to investigate the corruption she reported because he was in business with some of the people involved.

Etymology

Origin of disillusionment

disillusion ( def. ) + -ment ( def. )

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.

Decades of poverty and the crumbling of Cuba’s once-idealized healthcare system have sparked widespread disillusionment, said Ted Henken, a professor of Cuban studies at Baruch College in New York.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 29, 2026

I left that and struggled for years with the standard outcomes of intense combat service mixed with a total disillusionment and cynicism around the wars that I fought in.

From Slate • Mar. 4, 2026

“There is no change at all,” said Francys Machucas, a banking adviser in Caracas, whose sense of disillusionment is shared by some other Venezuelans.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 5, 2026

On Monday, Michelle Goldberg of the New York Times explored some reasons for the “growing disillusionment among conservatives” with Trump, such as his sliding approval ratings or recent electoral defeats.

From Salon • Nov. 19, 2025

A dry, barren field, out beyond wish and lament, beyond dream and disillusionment.

From "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini

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.