disappointment

¹

[ dis-uh-point-muhnt ]

noun

1. the act or fact of disappointing:

   All of his efforts only led to the disappointment of his supporters.

   Synonyms: frustration, defeat, failure

2. the state or feeling of being disappointed:

   Her disappointment was very great when she didn't get the job.

3. a person or thing that disappoints:

   The play was a disappointment.

Disappointment

²

[ dis-uh-point-muhnt ]

noun

1. Cape Disappointment, a cape in southwestern Washington State, projecting into the Pacific Ocean on the north of the mouth of the Columbia River.

disappointment

/ ˌdɪsəˈpɔɪntmənt /

noun

1. the act of disappointing or the state of being disappointed
2. a person, thing, or state of affairs that disappoints

Other Words From

• predis·ap·pointment noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of disappointment¹

First recorded in 1605–15; disappoint + -ment

Example Sentences

As is the case with the Bengals, these Ravens can score a lot of points but so far are a big disappointment on defense.

From Los Angeles Times

The ritual Democratic self-flagellation is calming down a bit as most people finally take a breath and recognize that while the result was a terrible disappointment it was anything but a landslide for Donald Trump, nor was it a crushing rebuke of the Democrats.

From Salon

Rita Devlin, the Northern Ireland Director of the Royal College of Nursing, said she is in “absolute disbelief and disappointment” over the news.

From BBC

"While this is a source of great disappointment to the Queen, she will mark the occasion privately at home and hopes to return to public duties early next week."

From BBC

In the Slate Plus episode: After a week of anxiety, doomscrolling, and disappointment, the hosts discuss what they’re doing to distract themselves from the news.

From Slate

Related Words

• adversity
• blow
• chagrin
• defeat
• discontent
• disenchantment
• disillusionment
• dissatisfaction
• failure
• frustration
• letdown
• regret
• setback