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
To explain this thinking, Lee jabs the New York Mets amid their disappointing MLB season. — Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 28 Aug. 2026 The response from Brooklyn Can’t Wait was beyond disappointing. — Doug Schneider, New York Daily News, 28 Aug. 2026
Verb
Wilder kept his diagnosis private from the public, in hopes of not disappointing his. — Niya Doyle, PEOPLE, 19 July 2026 Balogun and other commentators called the decision disappointing at the time. — Zachary Folk, Forbes.com, 5 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
  • Yields dipped and then rebounded in the wake of the Treasury buyback move, a signal that bond investors believed Bessent's moves were inadequate.
    — Alex Harring, CNBC, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Flat outsole sneakers lack the arch support that keeps the foot from rolling in and provide inadequate shock absorption.
    — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of inadequate
Verb
  • In a statement given to the The Athletic on Wednesday, Hampshire Police confirmed that Sterling had been charged with dangerous driving, possession of nitrous oxide for wrongful inhalation and failing to provide a specimen.
    — Jessica Hopkins, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Last Year The Cowboys experienced a bizarre, roller-coaster 2025 season, ultimately finishing 7-9-1 and failing to qualify for the postseason.
    — David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 26 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
  • Yet researchers have found that nearly a third of adults in the United States are iron deficient.
    — Anahad O’Connor, Washington Post, 27 Aug. 2026
  • In a deficient area, the exception is exposed, and to last, the exception must be exceptional somewhere else.
    — Zach Berman, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of deficient
Verb
  • In this case, the reward was solving the ExploitGym questions and the hacking was literally hacking—cheating on the test and then hacking into Hugging Face in an effort to cover up the cheating (more on that below).
    — Emily Forlini, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The Model 3 and Model Y adopted less elaborate press-and-pivot handles, helping give the cars their clean, wind-cheating profiles.
    — Peter Lyon, Forbes.com, 22 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
  • However, there is nothing more discouraging than bringing home a piece of salmon from the grocery store and opening it up to a slight fishy smell.
    — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of discouraging
Adjective
  • Across state and federal lands, accommodations designated for Black Americans were routinely and nakedly inferior, relegated to remote, underdeveloped parcels or mosquito-prone swamplands.
    — Kimmie Gordon, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2026
  • 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
Definition of inferior

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disappointed
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Cite this Entry

“Disappointing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disappointing. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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