What does crestfallenness mean?
Crestfallenness is the state of being crestfallen: a visible dejection that follows disappointment, failure, or the collapse of one's hopes. The word derives from the adjective "crestfallen," an image borrowed from a bird whose crest droops when it is defeated, so the noun inherits that vivid sense of deflated pride. It is used chiefly in descriptive or literary writing to characterize someone's demeanor — a downcast expression, slumped shoulders, or subdued tone — after a rejection, loss, or unexpected setback. Because it names a temporary reaction to a particular event rather than a chronic condition, it differs from terms like depression. Though far less frequent than the adjective it derives from, crestfallenness offers writers a precise, evocative way to name that unmistakable moment when confidence gives way to quiet discouragement.
nounThe state or quality of being crestfallen; dejection or disappointment resulting from failure, defeat, or shattered hopes.
- A state of dejection, disappointment, or deflated spirits following a setback, defeat, or unmet expectation.
"He could not hide his crestfallenness when the results were announced."
"Her crestfallenness was plain to see when her proposal was rejected without discussion."
"Despite their coach's reassurances, a quiet crestfallenness settled over the team after the narrow loss."
Very rare; the word is almost always treated as uncountable.
"The novel traces the small crestfallennesses of everyday life."
"Crestfallen" literally means having your crest — the comb atop a rooster's head — drooping; add "-ness" and you get the perfect word for deflated spirits.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of crestfallenness
Crestfallenness is formed from the adjective "crestfallen" plus the noun-forming suffix "-ness." "Crestfallen" arose in English by the late sixteenth century, combining "crest" — from Old French "creste," ultimately from Latin "crista," meaning the tuft or comb on an animal's head — with "fallen," originally describing a fowl whose crest droops, as happens to a defeated cock. The suffix "-ness" is an ancient Germanic element long used to turn adjectives into abstract nouns denoting states or qualities.
Related word forms
How crestfallenness is actually used
An abstract noun of fairly literary register, less common than its adjective "crestfallen." It carries no clinical connotation and typically describes a passing emotional reaction rather than a lasting condition. Plural use is rare and generally limited to figurative or enumerative contexts.
Easily confused with crestfallenness
Crestfallenness is a temporary disappointment after a specific setback, whereas depression is a persistent and more serious mood disorder.