disappointing
- 1Failing to satisfy the hopes or expectations someone had, and therefore causing disappointment.
Like a fireworks show that fizzles out after the very first rocket.
The team's performance was disappointing given how much they had practiced.
Critics found the sequel disappointing compared to the original film.
Similarunsatisfactory, underwhelming, lackluster, disheartening, discouraging
Oppositesatisfying, impressive, encouraging, gratifying
Note
The adjective that grades: a film can be more disappointing than its predecessor, or the most disappointing of the year, which a verb form cannot be. It typically sits before nouns for outcomes and reports, as in disappointing results, disappointing news, a disappointing experience. The test against the verb form is an object: a disappointing result has none, while a result disappointing investors is the verb at work.
- 2Present participle and gerund of disappoint.
The company is disappointing investors with another weak quarter.
Constantly disappointing her teachers, she rarely turned in her homework on time.
Note
Behind the participle stands a transitive verb, so it always wants someone or something to let down: disappointing fans, disappointing investors. Older English also let the hope itself be the object, as in disappointing an expectation, a use now dated. Earlier still the verb could mean thwarting a plan outright, a sense now obsolete. As a gerund it names the act itself: disappointing her parents was what she feared most.
Showing meanings only.
disappointing is a form of disappoint
disappoint, verb: To sadden or displease someone by performing worse than expected, or by not providing what was promised or hoped for. Full entry
- Forms
- disappointdisappoints he/she/itdisappointing -ing formdisappointed past tense, past participle
- Spelling
- disappoint → disappointing: add -ing
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