- underwhelm
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/un'deuhr hwelm", -welm"/, v.t. Informal.to fail to interest or astonish: After all the ballyhoo, most critics were underwhelmed by the movie.[1945-50; UNDER- + (OVER)WHELM]
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Universalium. 2010.
underwhelm
Look at other dictionaries:
underwhelm — • He was…fluent in speech and crashingly dull. If there was an opportunity to be underwhelming, he unfailingly seized it Observer, 1984. This fanciful variation on overwhelming means ‘unimpressive’ (underwhelmed and occasionally the simple verb… … Modern English usage
Underwhelm — Un der*whelm , v. t. To interest less than anticipated; to be dull to (a person). [PJC] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
underwhelm — 1956, a facetious play on overwhelm … Etymology dictionary
underwhelm — ► VERB humorous ▪ fail to impress or make a positive impact on. ORIGIN suggested by OVERWHELM(Cf. ↑overwhelming) … English terms dictionary
underwhelm — [un derhwelm′, un derwelm′] vt. [ironic allusion to OVERWHELM] to fail to make a good impression or have a significant impact on … English World dictionary
underwhelm — tv. & in. to fail to impress (someone). □ Your talents simply underwhelm me. □ As we were being underwhelmed by a buxom soprano, my thoughts drifted to more pleasant matters. □ We know you tried, but you just underwhelm … Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions
underwhelm — transitive verb Etymology: under + overwhelm Date: 1949 to fail to impress or stimulate < the movie underwhelmed most reviewers > … New Collegiate Dictionary
underwhelm — verb To fail to impress; to perform disappointingly. Ant: overwhelm … Wiktionary
Underwhelm — cause dissatisfaction by not performing to expectations … Dictionary of Australian slang
underwhelm — Australian Slang cause dissatisfaction by not performing to expectations … English dialects glossary
