letdown

American  

[let-daun] / ˈlɛtˌdaʊn /

Or let-down

noun

1. a decrease in volume, force, energy, etc..

   a letdown in sales; a general letdown of social barriers.

2. disillusionment, discouragement, or disappointment.

   The job was a letdown.

3. depression; deflation.

   He felt a terrible letdown at the end of the play.

4. the accelerated movement of milk into the mammary glands of lactating mammals upon stimulation, as by massage or suckling.

5. Aeronautics. the descent of an aircraft from a higher to a lower altitude preparatory to making an approach and landing or to making a target run or the like.

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Etymology

Origin of letdown

First recorded in 1760–70; noun use of verb phrase let down

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

letdown

Analysts note high expectations, concerns about elevated Treasury yields and a potential letdown surrounding Anthropic’s financial progress,

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026

Airbnb after a long, hot day walking the boardwalk, we had our first chance to manage a letdown, together.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2026

The latest letdown comes at an inopportune moment.

From Barron's ● Mar. 30, 2026

Nothing may ever hold a candle to that evening against Denmark, but this was a bit of a letdown.

From BBC ● Mar. 28, 2026

The biggest letdown about being abducted by aliens is the abundance of gravity on the spaceship.

From "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson

Related Words

• anticlimax
• comedown
• setback