sad trombone

English

Etymology

From a plaintive trombone (or sometimes trumpet) sting played during game shows to indicate a player losing.

Interjection

sad trombone

1. (humorous) Used to indicate failure or disappointment.
   • 2014, Tim McMahan, “All About Survival and Spotify”, in The Reader, 25 December - 31 December 2014, page 11:

     Last week the Wall Street Journal reported LP sales surged 49 percent last year and that factories are struggling to keep pace, but in the end, vinyl sales represent only 2 percent of U.S. music sales (*sad trombone*).

   • 2019 January 31, “Chutes and Ladders: Legislative Bill Edition”, in City Weekly, page 10:

     Any time a player's token lands on the top of a chute, the token must "slide" down to the final square where that chute is pictured (sad trombone).

   • 2019, Jeff Shore, Follow Up and Close the Sale: Make Easy (and Effective) Follow-Up Your Winning Habit, page 5:

     And then you never hear from that person again. (Wah-wah...sad trombone.)

   • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:sad trombone.

Synonyms

• wah-wah
• womp womp

See also

• world's smallest violin