disappoint
Americanverb (used with object)
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to fail to fulfill the expectations or wishes of.
His gross ingratitude disappointed us.
- Synonyms:
- disenchant, dishearten, disillusion, sadden
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to defeat the fulfillment of (hopes, plans, etc.); thwart; frustrate.
to be disappointed in love.
verb (used without object)
verb
-
to fail to meet the expectations, hopes, desires, or standards of; let down
-
to prevent the fulfilment of (a plan, intention, etc); frustrate; thwart
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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disappointsimple
-
disappointssimple
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have disappointedperfect
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has disappointedperfect
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am disappointingprogressive
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are disappointingprogressive
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is disappointingprogressive
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have been disappointingperfect progressive
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has been disappointingperfect progressive
Past
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disappointedsimple
-
had disappointedperfect
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was disappointingprogressive
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were disappointingprogressive
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had been disappointingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of disappoint
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English word from Middle French word desappointer. See dis- 1, appoint
Explanation
When you fail to meet people's expectations, you disappoint them. You can also disappoint yourself or find that things let you down, like a rainy trip to the beach that disappoints you. The word disappoint comes from the Middle French word desappointer, which meant "dispossess of appointed office," in the 14th century. Today, disappoint can apply to anyone or anything that does not achieve the expected results — and ways to express that we are disappointed go beyond firing people or kicking them out of office. For example, if you buy a product that disappoints, you won't buy it again.
Vocabulary lists containing disappoint
Commonly Misspelled Words, List 4
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"The Fun They Had"
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Shiloh
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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.
Stocks are rising today on the latest hope for peace talks, but those have tended to disappoint.
From Barron's • Apr. 6, 2026
"It just feels like we have both trophies, and I just feel immensely proud. And really, to be honest, I didn't want to disappoint Korea."
From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026
My husband replied, “Sorry to disappoint you. Better luck next time.”
From MarketWatch • Jan. 22, 2026
Well cast and still able to set off a spark or two on stage, it is not likely to disappoint a holiday crowd.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 2, 2025
“But no. You’ve only been here a year. You’ve got plenty of time to disappoint them. Is Sister Ignatia here? I’d like to speak to her.”
From "The Girl Who Drank the Moon" by Kelly Barnhill
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.
