English Meaning & Definitions
An event, performance, or circumstance that disappoints expectations.
- “The movie's ending was a huge letdown after such an exciting buildup.”
- “Visiting the famous tourist spot turned out to be a bit of a letdown.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “letdown”.
Derived from the phrasal verb 'to let down', which originated in the 15th century meaning to lower something (such as a sail or drawbridge). Over time, the physical lowering metaphor extended to emotional states—'letting someone down' by failing to support them, and eventually by the mid-20th century, the compound noun 'letdown' emerged to describe the feeling of disappointment or deflation when expectations are not met.
Think of a balloon that was inflated with high expectations, but then someone lets the air out—it's a letdown.
Frequently Asked Questions About “letdown”
1. What is the meaning of “letdown” in English?
In English, letdown (noun) is defined as: “An event, performance, or circumstance that disappoints expectations.”.
2. How do you use “letdown” in a sentence?
“The movie's ending was a huge letdown after such an exciting buildup.”
3. What are English synonyms of “letdown”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “letdown”?
Derived from the phrasal verb 'to let down', which originated in the 15th century meaning to lower something (such as a sail or drawbridge). Over time, the physical lowering metaphor extended to emotional states—'letting someone down' by failing to support them, and eventually by the mid-20th century, the compound noun 'letdown' emerged to describe the feeling of disappointment or deflation when expectations are not met.
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