letdown

1 of 2

noun

let·​down ˈlet-ˌdau̇n How to pronounce letdown (audio)
1
a
: discouragement, disappointment
his latest novel is a letdown
b
: a slackening of effort : relaxation
2
: the descent of an aircraft or spacecraft to the point at which a landing approach is begun
3
: a physiological response of a lactating mammal to suckling and allied stimuli whereby previously secreted milk from the acini is expelled into ducts and drawn through the nipple

let down

2 of 2

verb

let down; letting down; lets down

transitive verb

1
: to allow to descend gradually
2
a
: to fail to support
felt her parents had let her down
b
: disappoint
the plot lets you down at the end
afraid of letting his father down

Examples of letdown in a Sentence

Noun the museum exhibit was just so-so, and we returned home with a vague sense of letdown the eagerly anticipated new movie starring our favorite actor turned out to be a big letdown Verb with my poor performance I really felt that I had let my teammates down
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
Did returning to recording to the normal show feel like a letdown? James Grebey, Vulture, 9 Nov. 2024 Photo : Mercedes 2005: A Return to Form for the S For all its appeal, the W220 was seen by some as a letdown compared with its predecessors (poor quality control on some early-build versions didn’t set a great tone). Will Sabel Courtney, Robb Report, 8 Oct. 2024
Verb
Dalmau’s growing support was not directly related to more Puerto Ricans supporting independence, but a response from a growing body of voters who felt let down by both traditional parties. Nicole Acevedo, NBC News, 6 Nov. 2024 Isaac views his current predicament as punishment for letting down everyone in his life, before and after his death. Vlada Gelman, TVLine, 17 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for letdown 

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1768, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of letdown was in the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near letdown

letch

letdown

let down

Cite this Entry

“Letdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/letdown. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

letdown

1 of 2 noun
let·​down ˈlet-ˌdau̇n How to pronounce letdown (audio)
1
2
: a slackening of effort

let down

2 of 2 verb
(ˈ)let-ˈdau̇n
1
: to fail to help or support
let down a friend in a crisis
2
: to fail to come up to expectations : disappoint
the end of the story lets the reader down

Medical Definition

letdown

1 of 2 noun
ˈlet-ˌdau̇n
: a physiological response of a lactating mammal to suckling and allied stimuli whereby increased intramammary pressure forces previously secreted milk from the acini and finer tubules into the main collecting ducts from where it can be drawn through the nipple

let down

2 of 2 transitive verb
: to release (formed milk) within the mammary gland or udder

More from Merriam-Webster on letdown

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!