letdown

1 of 2

noun

let·​down ˈlet-ˌdau̇n How to pronounce letdown (audio)
1
a
: 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

2 of 2

verb

let down; letting down; lets down

transitive verb

1
: to allow to descend gradually
2
a
: 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

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
The stage is set for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates Wednesday, and the stock market may just be positioning itself for a letdown. Sean Conlon, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2024 In other words, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a perfectly fine fine sequel, neither a total letdown nor a complete, shout-it-from-the-hills return to form for its creator. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 4 Sep. 2024
Verb
As the Raiders prepare for their regular-season home opener, the onus is on Pierce to make sure there is not a let down here. Vincent Frank, Forbes, 19 Sep. 2024 As the camera peers over a chain-link fence, in a trademark Solondz long shot, Brandon lets down his guard and uneasily kisses Dawn. Elena Saavedra Buckley, The New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for letdown 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'letdown.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1768, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Dictionary Entries Near letdown

letch

letdown

let down

Cite this Entry

“Letdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/letdown. Accessed 5 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

letdown

1 of 2 noun
let·​down ˈlet-ˌdau̇n How to pronounce letdown (audio)
1
2
: a slackening of effort

let down

2 of 2 verb
(ˈ)let-ˈdau̇n
1
: to fail to help or support
let down a friend in a crisis
2
: to fail to come up to expectations : disappoint
the end of the story lets the reader down

Medical Definition

letdown

1 of 2 noun
ˈlet-ˌdau̇n
: 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

let down

2 of 2 transitive verb
: to release (formed milk) within the mammary gland or udder

More from Merriam-Webster on letdown

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!