disappointment

noun

ˌdis-ə-ˈpȯint-mənt How to pronounce disappointment (audio)
Definition of disappointmentnext
1
as in frustration
the emotion felt when one's expectations are not met we felt keen disappointment when our offer on the house was rejected

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in letdown
something that disappoints after all the publicity and high expectations, the sequel to the movie blockbuster was a huge disappointment

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of disappointment Knowing that dinner at Fallow was on the schedule, her disappointment was fleeting. — Paul Jebara, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Aug. 2026 Subaru Socialism grew, in part, out of the 2008 crash, the subsequent disappointment in Obama, and a rejection of Clinton and her entitled, uninviting run at the Presidency. — Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2026 Peterson dropped it and immediately dropped his head in disappointment. — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Aug. 2026 To make matters more challenging, Apple shares have gotten so expensive that the company may not have room for a disappointment. — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 18 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for disappointment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disappointment
  1. frustration
  2. letdown
  3. dismay
  4. loser
  5. dissatisfaction
  6. failure
  7. sadness
  8. bummer
Noun
  • That ambiguity is echoed in Banks’ score, which takes on the tone of a lament and a celebration, frustration and hope, struggle and liberation, the quest for transcendence in the face of the challenges posed by daunting inequities.
    — George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026
  • The move follows efforts by Pinterest and LinkedIn to respond to users’ frustrations with AI slop in their feeds.
    — Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of frustration
Noun
  • Our review highlighted its everyday usability, lightweight design, and overall good value, though this configuration’s measly 128GB of storage is a bit of a letdown.
    — Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The scores sealed the game in a matchup that looked over before the letdown.
    — Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of letdown
Noun
  • Despite four of the six miles being built underground, the construction in Norco would be entirely overhead, much to residents' dismay.
    — Joy Benedict, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Giulio, a dissatisfied 16-year-old, drifts through life with no enthusiasm for his education or his future, much to his family’s dismay (particularly his endlessly frustrated mother, brilliantly played by Monica Bellucci).
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of dismay
Noun
  • The winners and the losers Like any economic policy, tariffs won’t benefit all parties.
    — Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Payouts for the runner-up and semifinal losers have also declined relative to the overall purse in the past decade.
    — Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of loser
Noun
  • As popular dissatisfaction with the country’s traditional politicians and political parties grew, many Bolivians began looking to leaders who had emerged from the social movements themselves.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The Last Frontier State voted for Trump during all three of his presidential runs but Democrats are hoping rising prices and dissatisfaction with his administration could swing more moderate voters in their favor.
    — Emily Chang, ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of dissatisfaction
Noun
  • The failure by American and Canadian trade negotiators to reach a deal came after nearly two weeks of furious talks.
    — Steve Kopack, NBC news, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Ultimately Keegan’s team fell short, but this was no failure.
    — Michael Walker, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of failure
Noun
  • But negative sentiment –— such as expressing frustration or sadness — slightly decreased it.
    — Elise Haulund, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Some say there is a fine line between anguish or sadness — and laughter.
    — Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of sadness
Noun
  • That was one of my biggest takeaways — and bummers — from my conversation with Chris Barker, an epidemiology professor at UC Davis who has studied mosquitoes for almost 30 years, including at his lab.
    — Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Instead, here on the show, Freddie Fox’s Gwayne Hightower stops him from making said move, which is a bit of a bummer.
    — Josh Wigler, HollywoodReporter, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of bummer

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disappointing
disappointment
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Cite this Entry

“Disappointment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disappointment. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

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