Synonyms for disappointment
Most common
All synonyms
Noun
1. Frustration
frustration, dissatisfaction, disillusionment, failure, defeat, chagrin, mortification, balk US, baulk UK
Other
let-down, setback, blow, mockery, disappointedness, load of shit vulgar slang
Definitions
- n. 1
The feeling or state of being disappointed: a feeling of sadness or frustration when something is not as good as one hoped or expected, or when something bad unexpectedly happens.
Even a trip to beautiful California can cause disappointment.
Related words
- Word family
- disappoint
Forms
- Plural
- disappointments → frustrations, dissatisfactions, disillusionments, failures…
Choose the right word
Chagrin unites disappointment with some degree of humiliation. A rainy day may bring disappointment; needless failure in some enterprise brings chagrin.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- failure Tom attributed his failure in the exam to illness.
- frustration Mennad was trying so hard to hide his frustration.
- dissatisfaction Her remarks caused dissatisfaction in the public.
- disillusionment The war brought disillusionment with it.
- setback It was Mary who informed me about Tom's setback.
- mockery He got hundreds of anonymous letters in mockery.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| disappointment | rising | |
| failure | steady | |
| frustration | rising | |
| dissatisfaction | falling | |
| disillusionment | steady | |
| setback | steady |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 4 letters
- blow1, balk1
- 5 letters
- baulk
- 6 letters
- defeat2
- 7 letters
- failure2, setback2, mockery3, chagrin2
- 11 letters
- frustration3
- 13 letters
- mortification4
- 15 letters
- dissatisfaction5, disillusionment5
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (defeat2 = 2 syllables).
In other languages
- Français
- déception
- Italiano
- delusione
- Español
- desilusión
- Deutsch
- Enttäuschung
- Català
- desengany