Word
disillusioned
Phoneticsdis·il·lu·sioned
US/ˌdɪsɪˈɫuʒənd/
UK/dɪsɪlˈuːʒənd/
Definition
adj. feeling disappointed because you discovered that something is not as good as you believed it was. You lose your faith or respect for an idea, person, or organization.
adj. feeling disappointed and stripped of illusions after discovering that something is less good, valuable, or true than previously believed. Often used predicatively after linking verbs such as 'become', 'grow', or 'feel'.
Examples
“He became disillusioned with politics after the latest scandal.”
“Many young voters felt disillusioned when the candidate failed to deliver on his most important campaign promises.”
“After years of working in the corporate sector, she grew increasingly disillusioned with the profit-at-all-costs mentality and decided to transition into the non-profit world.”
Examples
simple
“He became disillusioned with politics after the latest scandal.”
contextual
“Many young voters felt disillusioned when the candidate failed to deliver on his most important campaign promises.”
complex
“After years of working in the corporate sector, she grew increasingly disillusioned with the profit-at-all-costs mentality and decided to transition into the non-profit world.”
Usage
Often followed by the preposition 'with' or 'by'.
Pitfall
He is disillusioned about his job
He is disillusioned with his job
While 'about' is occasionally heard, 'with' is the standard preposition used to indicate the source of the disappointment.
Real-World Examples
Common in culture and health writing
“There’s no doubt that leaving an engaged young woman like this one so disillusioned is a failure.” “I think it raises a set of questions that he certainly was never really able to resolve.”
The 1892 Carnegie Steel strike and its violent suppression devastated Homestead, Pennsylvania, and left Carnegie disillusioned.” Scan code
englishreference.com/q/disillusioned