disappoint

disappoint — verb

1. to leave someone feeling sad or let down because something they wanted or expect

1.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to leave someone feeling sad or let down because something they wanted or expected did not happen or turned out worse than planned

Example

Hao's parents were disappointed when he dropped out of the university programme.

passive + when-clause for situation-based disappointment

The sequel disappointed many fans who had loved the original film.

Common collocations
  • disappoint + object (fans / parents / audience / team / supporters)
  • be disappointed + with / in / by + noun
  • deeply / bitterly / slightly disappointed
Synonyms
  • let down

    more informal; used especially when a person fails someone who relied on them

  • dissatisfy

    more formal; focuses on unmet needs or standards rather than emotional hurt

  • disenchant

    more formal and stronger; implies losing a belief or ideal

Antonyms
  • satisfy

    meeting expectations or needs

  • please

    actively making someone happy or content

Grammar Patterns

disappoint + person/group

be disappointed + with/in/by + noun/pronoun

Usage Note

Often used in the passive voice (be disappointed). The subject of the active verb can be a person, an event, or a concrete outcome — for example, a film, a test result, or a team's effort.

Common Mistakes

I am disappointing with the result
I am disappointed with the result
'disappointing' describes something that causes disappointment, not how you feel.
The movie disappointed me to watch
The movie disappointed me
'disappoint' does not take an infinitive; simply state what or who disappointed you.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

Disappoint is the broadest and most common term — it covers any situation where hopes or expectations are not met. 'Let down' is more informal and implies a personal, relational failure: someone you trusted did not deliver. 'Dissatisfy' is more formal and focuses on unmet needs or standards rather than emotional hurt — a product dissatisfies a customer, but it rarely disappoints them emotionally. 'Disenchant' is rarer and stronger, implying a loss of idealism or belief (e.g. young voters became disenchanted with the political system). 'Fail' is broader still, not limited to expectations — a plan fails, but it may not disappoint anyone. In everyday speech, use 'disappoint' for general letdowns and 'let down' when a person has broken a promise or trust.

let down ↗dissatisfydisenchantfail ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • disappoint fans
  • disappoint parents
  • disappoint the audience
  • disappoint supporters

Adverbs

  • deeply disappointed
  • bitterly disappointed
  • slightly disappointed
  • greatly disappointed

Phrases

  • feel disappointed
  • look disappointed
  • sound disappointed
  • be disappointed to hear

Prepositions

  • disappointed with
  • disappointed in
  • disappointed by

Etymology

Old FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

Comes from Old French 'desappointer', meaning to remove from office or break an appointment. The prefix 'des-' (meaning 'away, undo') joined with 'appointer' (to arrange). By the late 1400s, the word shifted from breaking an appointment to failing someone's expectations more generally.