letdown

noun

let·down | \ˈlet-ˌdau̇n

Definition of letdown

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : discouragement, disappointment his latest novel is a letdown

b : a slackening of effort : relaxation

2 : the descent of an aircraft or spacecraft to the point at which a landing approach is begun

3 : a physiological response of a lactating mammal to suckling and allied stimuli whereby previously secreted milk from the acini is expelled into ducts and drawn through the nipple

let down

verb

Definition of let down (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to allow to descend gradually

2a : to fail to support felt her parents had let her down

b : disappoint the plot lets you down at the end afraid of letting his father down

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about letdown

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Examples of letdown in a Sentence

Noun

the museum exhibit was just so-so, and we returned home with a vague sense of letdown the eagerly anticipated new movie starring our favorite actor turned out to be a big letdown

Verb

with my poor performance I really felt that I had let my teammates down

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

And when dusk arrived and English tennis fans could finally turn their undivided attention to the denouement of England’s World Cup letdown against Croatia, only Nadal was still in the tournament. — Christopher Clarey, New York Times, "On a Wild Day at Wimbledon, Federer Exits and Nadal Hangs On," 11 July 2018 Before Wednesday’s 119-105 win over the visiting Memphis Grizzlies that improved the 76ers’ record to 40-30, coach Brett Brown was asked about a potential letdown against a downtrodden team. — Marc Narducci, Philly.com, "Sixers haven't been complacent against the NBA's lesser teams," 22 Mar. 2018 The Buckeyes host Maryland on Thursday night (7 p.m., ESPN2), and fans are worried about a letdown. — Tim Bielik, cleveland.com, "Kevin Feder will transfer from Ohio State after the spring: Buckeyes football news," 11 Jan. 2018 So often the source of letdowns and embarrassments, England's soccer team is a unifying force among players and the nation. — Rob Harris, chicagotribune.com, "After so much humiliation, England's World Cup team a source of national pride," 7 July 2018 Heck, losing nine of 11 postseason meetings against the Pittsburgh Penguins alone is filled to the brim with gut-wrenching letdowns. — Stephen Whyno, baltimoresun.com, "Stanley Cup run makes up for Capitals' playoff failures," 7 June 2018 With the big come-from-behind win in extra innings over rival Tomball-Rosehill to go with the long Easter holiday weekend, head coach David Turner was concerned about a letdown and those concerns became very real. — Robert Avery, Houston Chronicle, "Although not sharp, FBCA uses 5-1 win to stay unbeaten," 4 Apr. 2018 Some kind of letdown coming off of an upset of then-No. — Bill Landis, cleveland.com, "Another Big Ten rout for Ohio State basketball: Buckeyes beat Maryland 91-69," 12 Jan. 2018 Going through Needles into California was a huge letdown from my imagination. — Shelby Grad, latimes.com, "Essential California: A first round of reuniting families," 11 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'letdown.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near letdown

let bug

let bygones be bygones

Statistics for letdown

Last Updated

15 Oct 2018

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Time Traveler for letdown

The first known use of letdown was in the 12th century

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More Definitions for letdown

letdown

noun

English Language Learners Definition of letdown

: something that is not as good as it was expected to be

letdown

noun

let·down | \ˈlet-ˌdau̇n

Kids Definition of letdown

: disappointment sense 2

letdown

noun

\ˈlet-ˌdau̇n\

Medical Definition of letdown

(Entry 1 of 2)

: a physiological response of a lactating mammal to suckling and allied stimuli whereby increased intramammary pressure forces previously secreted milk from the acini and finer tubules into the main collecting ducts from where it can be drawn through the nipple