let-down

A sudden let-down in sales worried the company.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A disappointment: "let-down" refers to a feeling of disappointment or a situation that fails to meet expectations.
   • A decrease or reduction: In American English, "let-down" can also mean a decline or drop, such as in performance or quantity.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The movie was a real let-down after all the hype. (The movie disappointed people because it did not live up to expectations.)
  • There was a let-down in sales this quarter. (Sales decreased or dropped.)

Advanced Usage

• "a let-down" is often used to describe an emotional anticlimax after a period of excitement or anticipation.
  • After the party ended, she felt a sudden let-down. (She felt a sense of disappointment or emptiness.)

Variants and Related Words

• Let down (verb phrase): to disappoint someone or to lower something.
  • He let down his team by not showing up. (He disappointed his team.)
  • She let down her hair. (She lowered her hair from a tied-up position.)

Synonyms

• Disappointment: a feeling of sadness or displeasure caused by unmet expectations.
• Anticlimax: an event that is less impressive than what preceded it.
• Setback: a reversal or check in progress.

Related Idioms

• To let someone down gently: to disappoint someone in a kind or tactful way.
  • He let her down gently by explaining that he wasn't interested. (He rejected her kindly.)

Phrasal Verbs

• Let down (verb): to fail to support or help someone.
  • She felt let down by her friends. (She felt betrayed or unsupported.)