disillusioned 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of disillusionednext
1
as in frustrated

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words
2
as in cynical

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

disillusioned

2 of 2

verb

past tense of disillusion
as in disenchanted
to free from mistaken beliefs or foolish hopes we were disillusioned when we saw how the movie star acted in real life

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 disillusioned
Adjective
The vice president then lobbies for his own shot at delivering a message to disillusioned voters. — William Vaillancourt, Rolling Stone, 4 Oct. 2026 In his 20s, Gortner became disillusioned with the evangelical movement and became an aspiring actor in New York. — Pat Saperstein, Variety, 4 Oct. 2026
Verb
From the 1960s to ’70s, some one million Americans, disillusioned with modern life, left their comfortable homes in cities and suburbs for a totally new way of living. — Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2026 But the reality of what the fund has become has left those same leaders disillusioned, Daniel Payne reports. — Helen Branswell, STAT, 14 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for disillusioned
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disillusioned
  1. frustrated
  2. cynical
  3. disenchanted
  4. disappointed
  5. pessimistic
  6. disabused
  7. unfulfilled
  8. misanthropic
Adjective
  • During a conversation in June, 1985, Darman seemed tired and frustrated.
    — Bob Woodward, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
  • That was fine in the past, when frustrated boosters would often pony up the cash needed to make a mid-contract move.
    — Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of frustrated
Adjective
  • Such flat, enervating filmmaking makes the whole endeavor a shockingly cynical affair.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • In her role for Klara and the Sun, Ortega is cheerful and expressive where Wednesday Addams is deadpan and cynical.
    — Alice Robb, Vogue, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of cynical
Verb
  • Maher says that the fact that more than half the states allow capital punishment, but are issuing fewer death sentences, shows that the American people are disenchanted with the use of the death penalty.
    — Nate Perez, NPR, 16 Oct. 2026
  • But the old dispensation was also something like the countryside of his childhood, which experience has disenchanted.
    — Max Norman, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of disenchanted
Adjective
  • Unfortunately for fans who had been eagerly hoping to see Skarsgård’s wicker member up close and personal in the film, they might be slightly disappointed.
    — Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Anyone hoping Luka's generosity would carry over to the concession stands inside would be sorely disappointed.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of disappointed
Adjective
  • With the ongoing Iran war affecting gas prices and other costs staying elevated, Americans overall are deeply pessimistic about the state of the economy and see it as a high priority for the midterms.
    — Terry Tang, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Nearly two-thirds of students polled are pessimistic about the job market, a CNBC and SurveyMonkey Quarterly AI and Jobs Survey from May found.
    — Jessica Dickler,Annie Nova, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of pessimistic
Verb
  • This Penelope is knowing, gossipy, disabused.
    — David Denby, New Yorker, 21 June 2026
  • Only when he was disabused of that notion, the source said, would the team’s fortunes change.
    — Michael Powell, The Atlantic, 3 June 2026
Definition of disabused
Adjective
  • The polling firm’s subsequent reports describe a steady deterioration in sentiment as the months passed and expectations of a democratic transition remains unfulfilled.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The promise of American socialism is still unfulfilled, but this is a country in which almost anything can be resisted, rethought, and reinvented.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of unfulfilled
Adjective
  • Another resident within Vision’s head is Ultron (James Spader), the misanthropic genocidal AI originally created by Stark and Bruce Banner to help save humanity.
    — Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Known for creating everyone’s favorite psychopath Tom Ripley, Highsmith – played by Helen Mirren – became a controversial figure because of her antisemitic and misanthropic statements.
    — Marta Balaga, Variety, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of misanthropic

Browse Nearby Words

disillusion
disillusioned
disillusioning
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Disillusioned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disillusioned. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of disparate

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All