disappointing
gb/dˌɪsəpˈɔɪntɪŋ/ us/dˌɪsəpˈɔɪntɪŋ/
B1
English
~ 8000
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B1
property
1
not as good as hoped
Not as good as you wanted or expected, and making you feel sad or unhappy about it.
Usage pattern:
[something] is disappointing for [someone]
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse **disappointing** (describing a thing or event that causes the feeling) with **disappointed** (describing the person who feels the emotion). For example, **"I am disappointing"** is usually wrong; it should be **"I am disappointed"**. Use **disappointing** before nouns (**a disappointing result**) or after **be** with things (**The result is disappointing**), and **disappointed** with people (**She is disappointed**).
Synonyms
unsatisfying (Focuses on not giving enough pleasure or fulfillment, slightly softer in emotional tone.)
|
underwhelming (Informal; stresses that something is much less impressive or exciting than expected.)
|
frustrating (Adds a sense of irritation or annoyance, not just sadness about unmet expectations.)
|
disheartening (Stronger and more emotional, suggests losing hope or confidence.)
Antonyms
satisfying (Describes something that meets or fulfills expectations or desires.)
|
impressive (Highlights that something is much better or more striking than expected.)
|
encouraging (Suggests giving hope or confidence, often through better-than-expected results.)
|
delightful (Much stronger positive emotion, giving great pleasure rather than disappointment.)
Collocations
very disappointing
|deeply disappointing
|quite disappointing
|disappointing results
|disappointing performance
|disappointing experience
Themes
emotions
|evaluation
|daily life
|social
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The film was visually stunning but overall quite disappointing.
- Her exam results were disappointing considering how hard she had studied.
- The restaurant has great reviews, but the food was really disappointing.
- It was disappointing to see so few people at the meeting.
- The team’s performance this season has been deeply disappointing to their fans.
Learner examples
- The party was disappointing because only five people came.
- My test score was disappointing, so I will study more next time.
- The hotel room was small and disappointing for the price.
- It is disappointing when friends cancel at the last minute.
Verb
B2
action
2
failing someone’s expectations now
At this moment, making someone feel unhappy because you are not doing what they hoped or expected.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is disappointing [someone]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use **disappointing** as a verb without a subject, for example **"Disappointing me"** as a full sentence. As a verb form, it needs a subject and object: **"You are disappointing me"**, **"He is disappointing his boss"**. If you want to describe the feeling, it is more natural to say **"I am disappointed"**.
Synonyms
letting down (Very close meaning; common in everyday speech, slightly more informal and emotional.)
|
failing (Broader and more formal; may suggest not reaching a required standard, not only emotional disappointment.)
|
disillusioning (Stronger; suggests removing someone’s hopes or ideals, not just a single unmet expectation.)
Antonyms
pleasing (Focuses on giving someone satisfaction or joy instead of disappointment.)
|
satisfying (Stresses meeting someone’s expectations or needs successfully.)
Collocations
disappointing his parents
|disappointing her fans
|disappointing their supporters
|disappointing our customers
|disappointing the audience
Themes
emotions
|social
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He knows he is disappointing his parents by skipping college.
- The company is disappointing its loyal customers with these frequent delays.
- By arriving late again, you are disappointing everyone who was counting on you.
- She hates the feeling that she is disappointing her team.
Learner examples
- He is disappointing his coach because he never trains.
- You are disappointing your friends when you break your promises.
- The singer is disappointing her fans by canceling many shows.
- They are disappointing their teacher by not doing their homework.
Grammar
Dictionary form
disappointing
IPA
GB/dˌɪsəpˈɔɪntɪŋ/
US/dˌɪsəpˈɔɪntɪŋ/
Syllables & stress
dis - ap - point - ing (4 syllables)
Stress on 3rd syllable (point)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: disappointing
Word family
Core family
Related words
disappointingly
adverb
Expressions
a bit disappointing
1/ə bˈɪt dˌɪsəpˈɔɪntɪŋ/
fixed phrase
slightly disappointing in degree
Not very, but a little disappointing; weaker than simply saying "disappointing".
Examples
- The concert was a bit disappointing, but we still had fun.
- The ending of the book was a bit disappointing after such a strong beginning.
- Her presentation was clear but a bit disappointing in terms of new ideas.
did not disappoint
1/dˈɪd nˈɑt dˌɪsəpˈɔɪnt/
fixed phrase
met expectations, was not disappointing
Used to say that something was as good as, or better than, you hoped; it was not disappointing.
Examples
- The new restaurant did not disappoint; every dish was excellent.
- Fans waited years for the sequel, and it certainly did not disappoint.
- Her live performance did not disappoint the crowd.
disappointing to say the least
1/dˌɪsəpˈɔɪntɪŋ tə sˈeɪ ðə lˈist/
fixed phrase
extremely disappointing, understated
Used to say that something is very disappointing, while pretending to use a weak expression.
Examples
- The company’s response to the complaint was disappointing to say the least.
- His behavior at the meeting was disappointing to say the least.
- The quality of the product is, disappointing to say the least, far below what we expected.
pretty disappointing
1/pɹˈɪti dˌɪsəpˈɔɪntɪŋ/
fixed phrase
informal
quite disappointing (informal)
Informal; means "quite disappointing" or "rather disappointing".
Examples
- The new menu is pretty disappointing compared to last year’s.
- I thought the movie was pretty disappointing after all the hype.
- Their customer service has been pretty disappointing lately.
very disappointing
1/vˈɛɹi dˌɪsəpˈɔɪntɪŋ/
fixed phrase
strongly disappointing in degree
Used to say that something is disappointing in a strong way.
Examples
- The exam results were very disappointing for the whole class.
- Losing the final game was very disappointing for the team.
- It is very disappointing to see so little progress after months of work.