Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

disappointing

American  
[dis-uh-poin-ting] / ˌdɪs əˈpɔɪn tɪŋ /

adjective

  1. failing to fulfill one's hopes or expectations.

    a disappointing movie; a disappointing marriage.
disappointing British  
/ ˌdɪsəˈpɔɪntɪŋ /

adjective

  1. failing to meet one's expectations, hopes, desires, or standards

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • disappointingly adverb
  • undisappointing adjective

Etymology

Origin of disappointing

First recorded in 1520–30; disappoint + -ing 2

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.

He sees Microsoft with “many mouths to feed” and he doesn’t believe that’s a “good excuse” for the disappointing Azure performance.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 30, 2026

Worries about the inflationary impact of rising crude-oil prices, coupled with a series of disappointing U.S. debt auctions, pushed Treasury yields higher last week, while stocks, precious metals and bitcoin continued to struggle.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 29, 2026

Despite $373 billion in cash and defensive businesses, Berkshire’s stock performance is disappointing.

From Barron's • Mar. 28, 2026

Former England white-ball captain Jos Buttler will hope to find form after a disappointing World Cup as he returns to Gujarat Titans, where he is joined by batter Tom Banton and left-arm seamer Luke Wood.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026

Pasqual looks like a nerd, but he’s not even smart, which is always disappointing.

From "I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter" by Erika L. Sánchez

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.