disappointment

The word “disappointment” means the feeling of sadness or letdown when something doesn't meet expectations. In plain terms, either the feeling of being let down, or the thing/person that let you down.

“Disappointment” is pronounced dih-suh-POYNT-muhnt (/ˌdɪsəˈpɔɪntmənt/ in IPA).

Here is “disappointment” used in a sentence: “She couldn't hide her disappointment at losing the award.”

Words with a similar meaning to “disappointment” include let-down and setback.

“Disappointment” is a noun.

“Disappointment” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

“Disappointment” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the feeling of sadness or letdown when something doesn't meet expectations.

Disappointment is the sadness you feel when something fails to meet your expectations, and the cause is often outside your control. Regret is sorrow about something you yourself did or failed to do, so it points inward rather than at an unmet expectation.

Disappointment is the letdown felt when hopes or expectations are not met, while frustration is the irritation of being blocked from achieving something. Disappointment typically arrives after an outcome is known; frustration usually builds while an obstacle is still in the way.

All three are correct in different contexts. People commonly express disappointment "in" or "with" a person or thing, and disappointment "at" or "over" an outcome or event, so "her disappointment in the team" and "his disappointment at the result" are both natural English.

Yes. Besides naming the feeling, disappointment can refer to someone or something that fails to meet expectations, as in "the sequel was a disappointment." Applied to a person it is a strong criticism, so it tends to appear in pointed or emotional statements.