disappointing 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of disappointingnext
1
as in saddening

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Dissimilar Words
2
as in inadequate

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Dissimilar Words

disappointing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of disappoint
as in failing
to fall short in satisfying the expectation or hope of they were disappointed by the outcome of the big game

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of disappointing
Adjective
Quinn Ewers’ second-year slump continued Nobody is having a more disappointing training camp than Ewers, the backup from last year who ended up starting the season’s final three games once Tua Tagovailoa was benched. — Omar Kelly august 15, Miami Herald, 15 Aug. 2026 Edwin Díaz’s ninth-inning collapse in a 5-4 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers is the latest disaster in what has been a disappointing season for the Dodgers closer. — Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Verb
Balogun and other commentators called the decision disappointing at the time. — Zachary Folk, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026 Colombia held Ronaldo in check all night Saturday, surely disappointing his legion of fans. — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for disappointing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disappointing
  1. saddening
  2. inadequate
  3. failing
  4. dissatisfying
  5. deficient
  6. cheating
  7. discouraging
  8. inferior
Adjective
  • Actor Chadwick Boseman died of colon cancer at 43, shocking and saddening fans.
    — USA TODAY, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The result is a bonus both surprising and saddening.
    — Bob Brody, Baltimore Sun, 9 May 2026
Definition of saddening
Adjective
  • Deadly fires, often linked to electrical faults or gas cylinder explosions, are common in India where investigators have frequently pointed to safety lapses and inadequate enforcement of fire regulations as contributing to recurring loss of life.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Having just a dozen countermunitions for interceptions also proved inadequate in the face of large numbers of Ukrainian drones.
    — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of inadequate
Verb
  • The company has bucked the trend of failing casual dining restaurants.
    — Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Eight of the squad must have been registered in England or Wales for three full seasons before their 21st birthday, but Chelsea are not in danger of failing to meet that threshold.
    — Liam Twomey, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of failing
Adjective
  • The Erika plot is one of the several dissatisfying threads in this episode.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 14 Nov. 2025
  • Last season, the Bruins strung together three wins against Rutgers, Nebraska and Iowa – but that team resembled Chip Kelly’s decent-if-dissatisfying regime.
    — Mirjam Swanson, Oc Register, 13 Sep. 2025
Definition of dissatisfying
Adjective
  • Many people are deficient in vitamin D due to limited sunlight exposure and few natural food sources.
    — Kirsten Nunez, Martha Stewart, 12 Aug. 2026
  • So far, results are most promising for people with abnormally high blood pressure who are deficient in the mineral, Edwards told HEALTH.
    — Stephanie Anderson Witmer, HEALTH, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of deficient
Verb
  • Princeton University dropped its over century-old Honor Code tradition which let students take their exams without supervision, after an AI cheating scandal rattled the Ivy League institution.
    — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 13 Aug. 2026
  • This led to rival Phoenix Union players calling them criminals and making accusations of cheating during a 1913 football game.
    — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of cheating
Adjective
  • Then a rough 2025, a crowded rotation in 2026 and a discouraging bullpen stint led Pfaadt back to Reno.
    — Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Despite the discouraging landscape, recruiters and career experts say there are still ways for recent graduates to stand out.
    — Alyshia Hull, USA Today, 28 July 2026
Definition of discouraging
Adjective
  • But those three road losses were either in the postseason to a top-two team, at Oregon or the inexplicable 2024 loss to a far inferior Michigan team in The Game.
    — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The main disagreement centers on what the union says are inferior pay scales compared with nonunion workers.
    — A.D. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of inferior

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Cite this Entry

“Disappointing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disappointing. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on disappointing

Nglish: Translation of disappointing for Spanish Speakers

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