underwhelmed
|un/der/whelmed|
B2
🇺🇸
/ˌʌndərˈwɛlmd/
🇬🇧
/ˌʌndəˈwɛlmd/
(underwhelm)
fail to impress
Etymology
Etymology Information
'underwhelm' originates from English, combining 'under-' meaning 'below' and 'whelm' meaning 'to engulf or submerge'.
Historical Evolution
'whelm' changed from Middle English word 'whelmen' and eventually became the modern English word 'whelm'.
Meaning Changes
Initially, it meant 'to submerge or engulf', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'to fail to impress'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
feeling unimpressed or indifferent.
The movie was hyped up, but I left the theater feeling underwhelmed.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/01/11 11:45