DISAPPOINT

Pronunciation (US): (GB):

I. (verb)

Verb forms

Present simple: I / you / we / they disappoint ... he / she / it disappoints

Past simple: disappointed

Past participle: disappointed

-ing form: disappointing

Sense 1

Meaning:

Fail to meet the hopes or expectations of

Example:

Her boyfriend let her down when he did not propose marriage

Synonyms:

disappoint; let down

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Hypernyms (to "disappoint" is one way to...):

baffle; bilk; cross; foil; frustrate; queer; scotch; spoil; thwart (hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "disappoint"):

betray; fail (disappoint, prove undependable to; abandon, forsake)

come short; fall short (fail to meet (expectations or standards))

disenchant; disillusion (free from enchantment)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Sentence examples:

The bad news will disappoint him

The performance is likely to disappoint Sue

Derivation:

disappointment (an act (or failure to act) that disappoints someone)

disappointment (a feeling of dissatisfaction that results when your expectations are not realized)

Credits

Context examples:

He was disappointed with his hack-work.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Sherlock Holmes was not disappointed in his expectations.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I am disappointed in Stanley Hopkins.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

This indeed would be too great a mortification, if I wrote for fame: but as my sole intention was the public good, I cannot be altogether disappointed.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

But being only tin, the Woodman was not at all afraid, although he was much disappointed.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

However, pharmaceutical approaches to reduce heart disease risk by raising HDL levels have had disappointing results.

(When HDL cholesterol doesn’t protect against heart disease, NIH)

This is a very Capricornian mood, so go with the flow even if it feels a little limiting or disappointing.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

I confess that I was disappointed.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“I’d rather disappoint you,” he laughed, and turned on his heel and went aft.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Whatever my expectation was, it was not disappointed, for there, on our favourite seat, the silver light of the moon struck a half-reclining figure, snowy white.