adj
crestfallen
Crestfallen (adj) means feeling sad or downhearted after a setback.
adj
1
Feeling sad or downhearted after a setback.
"Brother Gáeth was a tall man with almost ugly features and a permanently crestfallen expression that made the elderly abbot immediately feel guilty that he had spoken so roughly."
— Peter Tremayne, The Chalice of Blood: A Mystery of Ancient Ireland (2011)
"He had short, dark hair, liberally flecked with silver-grey strands, heavily lidded brown eyes and a mouth that turned down at the edges, giving him a permanently crestfallen expression."
— James Bowring, Down in the Country: A Carlow Valley Mystery (2021)
"Diniz was a dark man who seemed closed in on himself, always crestfallen, walking along the walls and corners, answering questions with monosyllables and whispered sounds."
— Alda de Jesus Oliveira, The PONTES Approach to Music Education: Learning to Reach Out (2015)
2
(of a bird) Having its crest drooping to one side.
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Etymology
From crest + fallen, from the appearance of a horse with its crest (head) on its chest after defeat in a battle.
Related words
Rhymes for crestfallen
See all rhymes for crestfallen →Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of crestfallen?
"crestfallen" (adj) means feeling sad or downhearted after a setback.
What is another word for crestfallen?
Other words for "crestfallen" include chapfallen, chopfallen, deflated.
What is the opposite of crestfallen?
Opposites of "crestfallen" include happy, jubilant, jovial, elated.
What are the different meanings of crestfallen?
"crestfallen" has 2 main meanings: 1. Feeling sad or downhearted after a setback; 2. (of a bird) Having its crest drooping to one side.
