to avoid disappointing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "to avoid disappointing" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing actions taken to prevent causing disappointment to someone. Example: "I made sure to prepare thoroughly for the presentation to avoid disappointing my colleagues."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

23 human-written examples

Henry had to write in extra parts to avoid disappointing some of the would-be actors.

The New Yorker

To avoid disappointing the crowd, Hoodwink was sent in at the last minute.

Encyclopedia Britannica

To avoid disappointing sellouts, smart consumers should keep in careful touch with release dates for Mr. Tracy's whites.

The New York Times

One of his challenges will be to avoid disappointing the legions of Syrians who are his age and younger.

The New York Times

While the bloc wants to avoid disappointing Belgrade's European aspirations, progress is blocked by Serbia's failure to arrest Ratko Mladic, the Bosnian Serb war crimes suspect.

The New York Times

Although the new trains run on a timetable, the Transit Authority won't divulge the schedule so as to avoid disappointing riders.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

37 human-written examples

Use ratings made by your friends and expert tastemakers to discover new awesome places and events and avoid disappointing ones.

TechCrunch

Meanwhile, Obama will have to rouse an unenthusiastic base that can't stop remembering the heroic — though indeterminate — candidate who turned out tens of thousands of people in places like St .Louis and Portland back in 2008, and who couldn't avoid disappointing many of them as soon as he took office.

The New Yorker

The Central Division-leading Blues shored up their goaltending in an attempt to avoid another disappointing playoff run after being eliminated by Los Angeles in successive seasons.

Los Angeles Times

To avoid a disappointing airplane meal -- or worse, a meal the airline has jacked up with extra sugar and salt -- try to plan your meals to eat both before and after your flight.

Huffington Post

Liu has avoided disappointing investors in a big way in the past few years (something that few other tech chiefs can say).

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "to avoid disappointing" when you want to clearly state the intention behind an action, emphasizing the desire to prevent someone from feeling let down. For example, "I double-checked the figures to avoid disappointing my boss."

Common error

Be careful not to confuse the infinitive phrase "to avoid disappointing" with using "disappointing" as a standalone adjective. For example, instead of saying "I wanted to avoid disappointing result", say "I wanted to avoid a "disappointing result"".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "to avoid disappointing" functions as an infinitive phrase expressing purpose. It clarifies the intention behind an action, indicating that the action is taken to prevent someone from feeling let down. Ludwig confirms its correct usage.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

52%

Science

28%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

4%

Formal & Business

4%

Social Media

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "to avoid disappointing" is a grammatically sound and commonly used phrase that functions as an infinitive of purpose. According to Ludwig, it is often employed to articulate the reasons behind actions taken to prevent others from feeling let down. Its neutral register makes it suitable for a wide array of contexts, particularly in news media, science, and general writing. For alternative phrasing, consider options like "so as not to disappoint" or "in order to not disappoint". Ensure to use the phrase correctly by not confusing it with the adjective "disappointing".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

so as not to disappoint

Replaces "to avoid" with "so as not to", emphasizing the intention to prevent disappointment.

in order to not disappoint

Similar to "so as not to disappoint", but uses "in order to" for emphasis.

to prevent disappointing

Uses "prevent" instead of "avoid", directly addressing the prevention of disappointment.

to keep from disappointing

Employs "keep from" as a substitute for "avoid", indicating an effort to refrain from causing disappointment.

lest one disappoint

A more formal and somewhat archaic way of expressing the same sentiment.

for fear of disappointing

Highlights the apprehension or fear associated with the possibility of causing disappointment.

with the aim of not disappointing

Emphasizes the purpose or goal of avoiding disappointment.

with a view to not disappointing

Similar to "with the aim of not disappointing", indicating a specific intention.

to preclude disappointment

Uses "preclude" which means to prevent something from happening or existing.

not to give rise to disappointment

A more verbose way of expressing the avoidance of disappointment.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "to avoid disappointing" in a formal context?

In a formal context, you can use phrases such as "in order to not disappoint", or "so as not to disappoint" to maintain a professional tone.

What's a more direct way to express "to avoid disappointing"?

A more direct alternative is "to prevent disappointing". This option uses the word "prevent" which can make the sentence more concise.

Is it always necessary to use "to avoid disappointing", or are there simpler alternatives?

While "to avoid disappointing" is grammatically correct, you can sometimes use simpler alternatives like "lest one disappoint" if the context allows for a slightly more formal or archaic tone.

When is it appropriate to use "to avoid disappointing" in writing?

It's appropriate to use "to avoid disappointing" when explaining the purpose behind an action, emphasizing that the goal is to prevent someone from feeling let down or unsatisfied. Ludwig AI confirms that this phrase is usable in written English.