Letdown

/ˈlɛtdaʊn/ noun

Definition

A disappointment or situation that is not as good or exciting as you expected it to be.

Etymology

A phrasal verb 'let down' (to disappoint or lower something) became a noun in the early 1900s by combining 'let' and 'down' as a compound.

Kelly Says

Letdown entered everyday speech during the era of rising expectations—once people could dream bigger (thanks to industrialization and advertising), disappointment needed its own word.

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