- past participle of disappoint.
- past tense form 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
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
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.
Quintero’s lawyer, Cameron Talley, said he respected the verdict even if he was disappointed by it.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
There’s no reason for Mamdani’s supporters to be disappointed, because it was never a serious idea to begin with.
From Slate ● Jul. 25, 2026
"I don't think they'd want to have me disappointed."
From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026
"I am disappointed with the other findings and do not accept them."
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
President Wilson was disappointed in his hope that the League of Nations would preserve world peace.
From "The War to End All Wars: World War I" by Russell Freedman
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.
