disappoint
Americanverb (used with object)
-
disappoints,
present (3rd person singular)
-
disappointed,
past participle, past
-
disappointing
present participle
-
to fail to fulfill the expectations or wishes of.
His gross ingratitude disappointed us.
- Synonyms:
- disenchant, dishearten, disillusion, sadden
-
to defeat the fulfillment of (hopes, plans, etc.); thwart; frustrate.
to be disappointed in love.
verb (used without object)
-
disappoints,
present (3rd person singular)
-
disappointed,
past participle, past
-
disappointing
present participle
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
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disappointssimple
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have disappointedperfect
-
has disappointedperfect
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am disappointingprogressive
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are disappointingprogressive
-
is disappointingprogressive
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have been disappointingperfect progressive
-
has been disappointingperfect progressive
Past
-
disappointedsimple
-
had disappointedperfect
-
was disappointingprogressive
-
were disappointingprogressive
-
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.
See Examples For:
“He tells me … that he’s looking forward to coming home, and I hate to disappoint him and tell him that he might not come home. So I don’t say anything,” Lee Arguello said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026
They added they were heartbroken to disappoint fans and were “especially excited” for Rodrigo’s fest “because it’s not just about music, but the greater mission of joy and community.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026
“A modest consolidation would disappoint the hopes of market participants and weaken the USD,” the bank adds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
Does it disappoint him that includes former match officials?
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
They’re all waiting for you to disappoint them again.
From "Finding Junie Kim" by Ellen Oh
If AI breakthroughs reduce computing needs, or if AI adoption disappoints the high hopes of investors, it’s terrible.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 19, 2026
The stock’s run up this year could position it for a steeper decline if Target’s guidance disappoints, though its relatively discounted valuation may limit the downside risk, some analysts say.
From Barron's ● Mar. 2, 2026
"I wouldn't want to be a baker who disappoints her, but I can see her being very encouraging at the same time."
From BBC ● Feb. 14, 2026
Even if it disappoints some people, it’s the more important message to put out into the world.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 25, 2025
But when it arrives, it too disappoints her.
From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri
So investors thinking they are locking in mortgage bonds’ solid yields for a period of time can be disappointed one way or the other.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
Adding to pressure on bonds was a $6 billion government buyback that disappointed traders who had expected a bigger number.
From Barron's ● Sep. 11, 2026
“I’m disappointed in the choices, obviously,” said Ross Greenberg, who voted for Pratt.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
Voters who thought they were getting change when they elected him in 2025 are disappointed, leaving his approval rating in the pits.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026
I was disappointed to miss our traditional family birthday dinner because Mom always picked restaurants that served sophisticated dishes like pomegranate cheesecake and whipped truffle potatoes.
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
While disappointing, the study results from the U.K. drugmaker don’t come as a big surprise after Roche’s rival drug giredestrant also missed the mark in a similar trial recently, the analysts say.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
On March 18, for example, General Mills reported disappointing earnings, driven in part by a decline in sales for its snack business.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026
So, it was disappointing to let them off the hook and get them out of that.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
Big Pharma has been scrambling to restock its pipelines, so a disappointing readout can have a knock-on effect on other drugmakers.
From Barron's ● Sep. 8, 2026
After jus’ two seconds of looking at the locomotive, I knowed there wasn’t gonna be nothing disappointing ’bout my first train ride!
From "The Journey of Little Charlie" by Christopher Paul Curtis
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.
