Crestfallen

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈkɹɛstfɔːlən/

Definitions

1. Feeling disappointed and dispirited after experiencing failure or receiving unwelcome news
2. Experiencing deep disappointment and loss of confidence following an unexpected setback or disheartening development
3. Dejected and discouraged after having one's hopes or expectations dashed by disappointing circumstances

Etymology: The adjective arose in the early 19th century, formed from the noun crest combined with the past participle fallen. The crest here originally refers to the plume of feathers or ornament worn on a helmet, or figuratively the highest point or peak of something. To be “crestfallen” is to have that peak or plume metaphorically drooped or fallen, suggesting a loss of pride, confidence, or spirits. This imagery likely draws on the visual of a soldier or knight whose helmet plume falls or droops after a defeat or embarrassment, a vivid symbol of dejection. The word captures the sense of a visible sign of shame or disappointment, as if the very emblem of honor had sagged. It first appeared in English around the 1820s, fitting with a period when such martial or heraldic symbols were well understood. The components are straightforward: crest from Old French creste, meaning a tuft or comb on a helmet or a bird’s head, and fallen, the past participle of fall. Yet the combination created a fresh metaphorical sense that stuck, moving beyond literal plumes to describe emotional states. The word’s appeal lies in how it conveys sorrow or dismay through the image of something once proud now visibly drooping. Though the term is somewhat literary and evocative, it remains a vivid way to describe someone visibly crestfallen—downcast or disappointed—retaining the sense of a symbolic emblem lowered in defeat or sorrow.

Synonyms: dejected, disheartened, downcast, dismayed, discouraged

Antonyms: cheerful, elated, joyful, happy, upbeat