teleurgesteld

Teleurgesteld is a Dutch adjective meaning "disappointed" or "let down," used to describe the emotional state of someone whose expectations have not been met. It is the past participle of the verb teleurstellen, and its noun form is teleurstelling, meaning "disappointment." The related adjective teleurstellend translates as "disappointing."

Usage centers on expressing personal feeling or evaluating outcomes. The standard construction is with the verb zijn: Ik ben teleurgesteld. It can take prepositions to indicate what caused the disappointment, for example teleurgesteld in iemand or teleurgesteld over de uitkomst. In everyday language, you might say: Ik ben teleurgesteld in het resultaat. The passive voice is less common; you would typically describe the result as teleurstellend rather than saying it caused someone to be teleurgesteld.

Context and nuance distinguish teleurgesteld from teleurstellend. Teleurgesteld describes an emotional reaction of a person, often in response to unmet expectations. Teleurstellend describes something that causes disappointment, such as a disappointing outcome or performance.

Etymology is related to the verb teleurstellen, with teleurstelling as the corresponding noun. The prefix teleur- conveys the sense of disappointment, and stellen (to place or set) forms the base of the verb.

In usage, teleurgesteld is a neutral to mildly negative descriptor suitable for personal statements, journalism, and literary prose, while teleurstellend is used to critique or describe the quality of events, results, or performances.