disappoint

verb

dis·​ap·​point ˌdis-ə-ˈpȯint 

disappointed; disappointing; disappoints

transitive verb

: to fail to meet the expectation or hope of : frustrate

The team disappointed its fans.

He disappointed his parents with his decision.

intransitive verb

: to fail to meet a hope or expectation : to cause disappointment

… where the show disappoints most is in the work of the younger generation.

—John Ashbery

Synonyms of disappoint

• fail
• cheat
• displease
• upset

Examples of disappoint in a Sentence

The team disappointed its fans.

The show may disappoint some viewers.

The novel disappoints by being predictable and overly long.

Recent Examples on the Web

Or Black people being disappointed that the song that went crazy wasn’t a pure R&B song. — Sidney Madden, VIBE.com, 19 Aug. 2026

Peachtree is known for Willis’ peach cobbler, and the Fort Worth location does not disappoint in any way. — Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Aug. 2026

In a statement Wednesday, state health department spokeswoman Hope Shuler said the agency was disappointed that legal action was necessary. — Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 19 Aug. 2026

The inevitable entropy of institutions is itself a strong reason to become better at creating new ones; expecting an indefinite lifetime of high performance is apt to disappoint. — Jennifer Pahlka, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English disapointen to dispossess, from Middle French desapointer, from des- dis- + appointer to arrange — more at appoint

First Known Use

circa 1513, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for disappoint

• counterpoint
• multipoint
• needlepoint
• reappoint
• adjoint
• anoint
• appoint
• checkpoint
• conjoint
• disjoint
• endpoint
• gunpoint

Kids Definition

disappoint

verb

dis·​ap·​point ˌdis-ə-ˈpȯint 

: to fail to meet the expectation or hope of

the team disappointed its fans