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Glite Dictionary
letdown

letdown

27 3.4
A feeling of disappointment when something is not as good as you expected
  • noun
  • /ˈlɛtˌdaʊn/
translation icon : decepción
  • After the highly anticipated concert, many fans expressed their disappointment, saying it was a real letdown.

Examples

  • Don't you think that's gonna be kind of a letdown?

    Vacation (2015)

  • She's in for a big letdown.

    Cross (2011)

  • Well, that was a bit of a letdown.

    Smurfs (2025)

  • - This whole thing is a big letdown.

    The Dark Military (2019)

  • Hope can lead to a lot of letdown.

    The Purge: Election Year (2016)

  • It's kind of a letdown.

    Blue Beetle (2023)

  • If she thought she was taking Mike home with her, she was in for a letdown.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • Even if everything turned out well, he knew it would be a letdown of sorts.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • Respondents said that it would be a big letdown and they would feel horrible.

    Academic text (2003)

  • You mean the anticipation followed by the letdown?

    The Good Liar (2019)

Synonyms

disappointment
vsletdown
223 1.7

A feeling of sadness or being let down when something you wanted does not happen

is focused on unmet expectations rather than general sadness
bummer
vsletdown
  • Informal
69 7.2

An event that makes you feel disappointed or frustrated

is the inner feeling of unmet hopes rather than the causing event
dissatisfaction
vsletdown
37 3.7

Feeling unhappy or not pleased with something

is specifically tied to hopes not being met rather than general displeasure
displeasure
vsletdown
28 3.9

A feeling of being annoyed or not happy about something

is an emotional disappointment tied to hopes failing rather than mere annoyance
downer
vsletdown
  • Informal
27 5.6

Something that makes you feel sad or disappointed

is the internal disappointed feeling that happens when hopes fail
disillusionment
vsletdown
16 6.5

A feeling of disappointment when something is not as good as you hoped

is a broader disappointed feeling, not only from a revealed truth
disgruntlement
vsletdown
1 7.0

A feeling of being unhappy and annoyed about something

is a neutral disappointment without the sulky or resentful tone

Antonyms

satisfaction
192 2.2

A pleasant feeling when you achieve something or your needs are met

fulfillment
  • US
58 3.6

A feeling of happiness and satisfaction when you achieve something important

How Disappointing

heartbreak
76 3.9
letdown
27 3.4
bummer
  • Informal
69 7.2

Surface Forms

letdown singular
letdowns plural

Morphology

letdown = let down (transparent) = down + let

The noun is directly derived from the phrasal verb 'let down' (to disappoint), so its meaning is predictable to learners who know the verb.

Etymology

The word letdown comes from the phrase let down, where let means 'allow' and down means 'lower', so the picture is of hopes being lowered. A helpful way to remember it is to think of someone letting you down by failing you, and a letdown is the disappointment you feel afterwards.