Nearby Words

Underwhelming

[uhn-der-hwelm, -welm] Origin

un·der·whelm

[uhn-der-hwelm, -welm]
verb (used with object) Informal.
to fail to interest or astonish: After all the ballyhoo, most critics were underwhelmed by the movie.

Origin:
1945–50; under- + (over)whelm
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Underwhelming is always a great word to know.
So is callithumpian. Does it mean:
a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison.
a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes.
Collins
World English Dictionary
underwhelming (ˌʌndəˈwɛlmɪŋ)
 
adj
failing to make a positive impact or impression; disappointing

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

underwhelm
1956, a facetious play on overwhelm.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Slang Dictionary

underwhelm definition


  1. tv. & in.
    to fail to impress (someone). : As we were being under whelmed by a buxom soprano, my thoughts drifted to more pleasant matters.
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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