underwhelm
verb (used with object)
to fail to interest or astonish.
underwhelmed
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past participleof underwhelm.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
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past tense formof underwhelm.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
underwhelmverb (used with object)to fail to interest or astonish.
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.
Then came Friday’s U.S. jobs report — which underwhelmed Wall Street, took the odds of a Federal Reserve interest-rate hike in October below 20%, and triggered more swings in U.S. government bonds.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 3, 2026
We, the chronically underwhelmed citizenry of the United States, can’t afford one less pillar of creativity.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2026
Sack said there was "biological plausibility" to think such a treatment might work, but said she was "very underwhelmed by the data that exists".
From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026
But stocks have still underwhelmed of late: The S&P 500 dropped 0.1% Wednesday and is roughly flat this month.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
“As aquatic spectacles go, I am a trifle underwhelmed by your lake. Is this where the swans are?”
From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell
