disappointmentdis‧ap‧point‧ment /ˌdɪsəˈpɔɪntmənt/ ●●○ noun 
He could see the disappointment in her eyes.to somebody’s (great) disappointment To Edward’s disappointment, Gina never turned up at the party.disappointment at/with/over etc the managers’ disappointment with the results Several people expressed disappointment at the delay.disappointment that her disappointment that she hadn’t been picked She hid her bitter disappointment.2[countable] someone or something that is not as good as you hoped or expected: The movie was kind of a disappointment.great/bitter disappointment The loss was a bitter disappointment.disappointment to She felt she was a disappointment to her family.disappointment for The team’s performance has been a disappointment for the fans.COLLOCATIONSadjectivesgreat/huge/deep disappointment· There was great disappointment when we lost the game.bitter disappointment (=feeling disappointed in a very unhappy and upset way)· The fans felt bitter disappointment at England's failure to qualify for the finals.verbsexpress disappointment· The US expressed disappointment at the outcome of the talks.hide your disappointment (also conceal your disappointment formal)· She turned away quickly to hide her disappointment.avoid disappointment· We recommend you book early to avoid disappointment.be doomed to disappointment (=be sure to be disappointed)· If you expect too much, you will be doomed to disappointment.share somebody's disappointment· We all shared her disappointment in failing to get the job.phrasesa sense/feeling of disappointment· For days he couldn't get over his sense of deep disappointment.a look of disappointment· She didn't attempt to hide the look of disappointment on her face.a twinge of disappointment (=a small feeling of disappointment)· She felt a twinge of disappointment at not getting first prize.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Julie tried to smile, but her disappointment showed through.
- The Giants have been a disappointment all season.
- But despite enthusiasm and hard work, disappointment and disillusion are the main reward.
- For much of the way he talked about his disappointment, going over the details of his discussions with Gorbachev.
- Home-baked pizza is often a disappointment because of one simple error: too much sauce.
- I felt a sharp stab of disappointment and was surprised and angry at myself.
- Inevitably, the result is disappointment and loss of confidence by those being served.
- The headmistress looked at the envelope in her hand with interested disappointment.
- The Kurd made a long noise in his throat which she presumed to indicate disappointment.
- The one single disappointment to Stanley during his recovery was his inability to read.
Longman Language Activatormaking you feel disappointed
something that is disappointing makes you feel unhappy or dissatisfied, because it is not as good as you hoped it would be: · The team had a disappointing season.· Company profits this year have been very disappointing.
something that is a disappointment does not happen in the way you hoped, or is not as good as you expected: · The holiday was a bit of a disappointment - it rained the whole time.be a disappointment to: · The election results were a disappointment to civil rights groups.be a great/major disappointment: · It was a great disappointment to my parents that I didn't go to university.
if an event or person does not live up to expectations , you expected them to be very good but in fact they are not: · I'm afraid as a husband I never really lived up to Kelly's expectations.· Despite the enormous cost of making it, the film didn't live up to expectations.fail to live up to (somebody's) expectations: · I failed to live up to my parents' expectations, particularly at school.
spoken if something is a letdown , you do not enjoy it as much as you expected: · The party was a real letdown.· After months of planning and anticipation, the Florida trip was kind of a letdown.
something that is an anticlimax or is anticlimactic does not seem very exciting or interesting because it comes after something that was much better: · Going back to work after a month travelling in China is bound to be an anticlimax.· Compared to the excitement of the earlier parts of the film, the ending was a little anticlimactic.
an event or occasion that is a non-event is disappointing because nothing interesting or exciting happened: · Sue's party was a total non-event. Only five people turned up.
spoken informal if you say that a situation or event is a bummer , you mean it is very disappointing: · "I heard Reggie's going to quit the team." "That's a bummer."bummer! American: · "The party was last Saturday." "Oh, bummer! I always miss those things."
informal use this to say that something is not as good as people say it is: · Northbourne Leisure Centre isn't all it's cracked up to be, they don't even have a sauna.· Being a fashion model isn't all it's cracked up to be. It is extremely hard work.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRYadjectives She laughed to hide her nervousness. The play was a huge success.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE
· There was great disappointment when we lost the game.
(=feeling disappointed in a very unhappy and upset way)· The fans felt bitter disappointment at England's failure to qualify for the finals.
verbs· The US expressed disappointment at the outcome of the talks.
(also conceal your disappointment formal)· She turned away quickly to hide her disappointment.
· We recommend you book early to avoid disappointment.
(=be sure to be disappointed)· If you expect too much, you will be doomed to disappointment.
· We all shared her disappointment in failing to get the job.
phrases· For days he couldn't get over his sense of deep disappointment.
· She didn't attempt to hide the look of disappointment on her face.
(=a small feeling of disappointment)· She felt a twinge of disappointment at not getting first prize.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES She laughed to hide her nervousness. The play was a huge success.· She'd had a big disappointment, she told me.· But perhaps the biggest disappointment has been Jim Thome.· But for us the bigger disappointments unquestionably are associated with Mr Bush, and they begin with foreign policy.· The biggest disappointment so far is shooting guard Dion Cross, who has been anything but.· A big disappointment for me was the fact that Ron wasn't there.· Their biggest disappointment was the re-election of North Carolina Republican Sen.· I was a big disappointment to her all round.
· There is no doubt that the outcome of that long campaign, the Act itself, was a bitter disappointment to working-class radicals.· Except, of course, for the bitter disappointment of his day lilies.· Even in pure mathematics, he met with one bitter disappointment.· To your bitter disappointment your request to go to a meeting in another town is turned down. 7.· At this point he was overcome with bitter disappointment.· Their bitter disappointment with Netanyahu and his government was not primarily political.· This was a bitter disappointment to Oliver, but his new friends were still as kind to him as ever.· Bishop carefully watched as first bitter disappointment and then professional concern chased startled horror from the woman's face.
· As we travel through life, we begin to realize that grief and deep disappointments lie beneath the surface of our lives.· They still resent the deep disappointment that has followed attempts to imitate the West.· There had been deep disappointment in the Conservative Party with the results of their own reform of local government.· A sense of deep and profound disappointment.· Jess felt such a deep sense of disappointment that she was startled by it.
· In many cases this is due to great disappointment: if you can not enjoy yourself at Christmas when can you enjoy yourself?· Disposal of the birds would cause great disappointment.· It would have been a great disappointment if some one hadn't taken Don's place.· Honderich's book is a great disappointment.· The resuscitated patients often speak of a great sense of disappointment and loss on waking.· It was a great disappointment to me.· The proof of the pudding was in the eating: the modusvivendi turned out to be a great disappointment.· The Marre Committee was born, but its report was a great disappointment.
· That cabinet came as a huge disappointment to the public and opposition, contributing much to the present unstable atmosphere.· Both tactically and technically the All Ireland champions were a huge disappointment.
· Chriselton similar, but the usually prolific Church Eaton a major disappointment.· But Hilda, wrote Harsnet, a major disappointment.· The words of my sister, wrote Harsnet, a major disappointment.
· The only disappointment may come if stocks are all sold out!· And with Everton and Chelsea also winning, the only disappointment is that Celtic lost to Rangers.· Not finding them was my only disappointment.· There was only disappointment though for Alan Patterson and Mark Coates.
VERB· For these periods we would recommend you book early to avoid disappointment.· Awareness of some of the pitfalls of slow-rise breadmaking should allow the home baker to avoid failure or disappointment.· A steady demand was maintained during the building programme with prospective purchasers queuing on occasions to avoid disappointment.· Atkinson believed that in order to avoid a similar disappointment with his new creation, he would have to leave the company.· How to book Be sure to book early to avoid disappointment.· Full details and booking forms are available from Please book now to avoid disappointment.· Availability of four bedded rooms is, however, limited and we recommend you book early to avoid disappointment.· To avoid disappointment, it's best to telephone to see what's still available.
· But they expressed disappointment that sales decisions failed to match the Government's rhetoric.· They expressed strong disappointment at not being included but offered numerous suggestions for Rice to consider.· If I expressed disagreement or disappointment in forceful language and then forgot about it, McFarlane evidently did not.· He also expressed his disappointment at the lack of support from his colleagues in academic circles.· Whenever I expressed my disappointment in it, he asked where in the world was there anything better.· Would-be grandparents can express their disappointment at not acquiring the longed-for grandchild.· He expressed disappointment in the Clinton presidency, saying Bill Clinton had undercut minorities by backing off strong affirmative-action programs.
· She felt a rush of disappointment.· You never expressed to them or to anyone any feeling of betrayal or disappointment.· The purist will feel the greatest disappointment though in the abandonment of any notion that pitches should be uncovered.· For a few moments I felt disappointment.
· He put Bonaventure down, stood, and broadened his smile, to hide his disappointment.· It is impossible to hide your disappointments if they are embodied in a 770-foot-high building like Worldwide Plaza.· Some of them were unable to hide their disappointment at being cheated out of the chance of facing the enemy.· The 36-year-old blonde beauty was unable to hide her bitter disappointment at failing to win her libel action against the People.
· Those protests reflected popular desires for democracy, but Mr Gbagbo has proved a disappointment to those awaiting a new era.· A pilgrimage to Grantchester proved a literary disappointment.· Jean-Baptiste-Sime on Chardin, however, proves anything but a disappointment.· But the first public glimpses of the charter were proving to be a disappointment.
· What strategies are you using to cope with pain, suffering, failure or disappointment?· They were all fine regiments which had to suffer the disappointment of amalgamation.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
- As Grant hurried down the narrow concrete stairs, he felt the first warning stab of pain in his torn thigh muscle.
- I bit my arm and was grateful for the stab of pain, for the resistance of the bone beneath the skin.
- I felt a sharp stab of disappointment and was surprised and angry at myself.
- Instinctively he rolled in the saddle and felt the white-hot stab of pain as something sharp scored a line across his shoulders.
- She stretched, and little stabs of pain shot through her.
- Supposing, he thought, with a stab of fear, he was never going to have any friends?
- The policeman pinched his eyes as if overcome with a sudden stab of pain.
WORD FAMILYadjectivedisappointeddisappointingnoundisappointmentverbdisappointadverbdisappointingly
1[uncountable] a feeling of unhappiness because something is not as good as you expected, or has not happened in the way you hoped: He could see the disappointment in her eyes.to somebody’s (great) disappointment To Edward’s disappointment, Gina never turned up at the party.disappointment at/with/over etc the managers’ disappointment with the results Several people expressed disappointment at the delay.disappointment that her disappointment that she hadn’t been picked She hid her bitter disappointment.2[countable] someone or something that is not as good as you hoped or expected: The movie was kind of a disappointment.great/bitter disappointment The loss was a bitter disappointment.disappointment to She felt she was a disappointment to her family.disappointment for The team’s performance has been a disappointment for the fans.COLLOCATIONSadjectivesgreat/huge/deep disappointment· There was great disappointment when we lost the game.bitter disappointment (=feeling disappointed in a very unhappy and upset way)· The fans felt bitter disappointment at England's failure to qualify for the finals.verbsexpress disappointment· The US expressed disappointment at the outcome of the talks.hide your disappointment (also conceal your disappointment formal)· She turned away quickly to hide her disappointment.avoid disappointment· We recommend you book early to avoid disappointment.be doomed to disappointment (=be sure to be disappointed)· If you expect too much, you will be doomed to disappointment.share somebody's disappointment· We all shared her disappointment in failing to get the job.phrasesa sense/feeling of disappointment· For days he couldn't get over his sense of deep disappointment.a look of disappointment· She didn't attempt to hide the look of disappointment on her face.a twinge of disappointment (=a small feeling of disappointment)· She felt a twinge of disappointment at not getting first prize.