underwhelm
[ uhn-der-hwelm, -welm ]
/ ˌʌn dərˈʰwɛlm, -ˈwɛlm /
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verb (used with object) Informal.
to fail to interest or astonish: After all the ballyhoo, most critics were underwhelmed by the movie.
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The rainy weather could not ________ my elated spirits on my graduation day.
Origin of underwhelm
First recorded in 1945–50; under- + (over)whelm
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for underwhelm
British Dictionary definitions for underwhelm
underwhelm
/ (ˌʌndəˈwɛlm) /
verb
(tr) to make no positive impact or impression on; disappoint
Word Origin for underwhelm
C20: originally a humorous coinage based on overwhelm
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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