dismay 1 of 2

dismay

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verb

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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb dismay contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of dismay are appall, daunt, and horrify. While all these words mean "to unnerve or deter by arousing fear, apprehension, or aversion," dismay implies that one is disconcerted and at a loss as to how to deal with something.

dismayed at the size of the job

When would appall be a good substitute for dismay?

While the synonyms appall and dismay are close in meaning, appall implies that one is faced with that which perturbs, confounds, or shocks.

I am appalled by your behavior

In what contexts can daunt take the place of dismay?

In some situations, the words daunt and dismay are roughly equivalent. However, daunt suggests a cowing, disheartening, or frightening in a venture requiring courage.

a cliff that would daunt the most intrepid climber

Where would horrify be a reasonable alternative to dismay?

The words horrify and dismay can be used in similar contexts, but horrify stresses a reaction of horror or revulsion.

was horrified by such wanton cruelty

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dismay
Noun
There must be some dismay that Sunset Boulevard, starring an electrifying Nicole Scherzinger, which opened to much ballyhoo in NYC, has seen its attendance dip recently. Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 14 Mar. 2025 The last pick of the draft came with a feeling of dismay, but Flores barely had time to process his emotions before Yankees scout Dave Keith called. Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 14 Mar. 2025
Verb
Ukraine and its European allies were dismayed when they weren't included in U.S. and Russian negotiations an end to the conflict. Chantal Da Silva, NBC News, 24 Feb. 2025 Investors are dismayed by the uncertainty brought about by Trump’s mercurial tariff policies, which could disrupt global trade and alienate U.S. allies. Julie Coleman, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dismay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dismay
Noun
  • And despite only playing three times since his last win on Feb. 22 — Gustavsson has started 13 of the past 14 games — Fleury has not outwardly shown any disappointment despite the unceremonious way his career is coming to an end.
    Michael Russo, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
  • The team achieved significant regular-season success, including 13-3 records in two of Gannon's four seasons there, but postseason disappointments remained a frustration.
    Omaid Homayun, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Joe, a firefighter in real life, happily obliged but was no longer on the same tribe as Eva at her moment of despair.
    Marc Berman, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025
  • As the team left last weekend, there wasn’t a sense of despair.
    Cameron Teague Robinson, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • All these incidents may have discouraged some potential Tesla buyers from going ahead with their purchases.
    Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2025
  • Senior officials in the Newsom administration reportedly discouraged Democrats in the state’s legislature from introducing bills related to transgenderism weeks before the podcast aired.
    Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 31 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • When Nintendo finally officially revealed the Switch 2 in January, one of our major unanswered questions concerned whether games designed for the original Switch would see some form of visual or performance enhancement when running on the backward-compatible Switch 2.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 28 Mar. 2025
  • The rout also hit shares outside the auto industry, with investors concerned that Mr. Trump's trade war may cause U.S. households and businesses to freeze their spending.
    Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 28 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Jeff: When meeting with reporters on Wednesday, Chastain indicated he was mystified and offended by Logano’s post-race comments expressing frustration with the Trackhouse Racing driver.
    Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025
  • Several owners of food and drink establishments have spoken with The Star in recent months to share their frustrations about property crimes affecting businesses across Kansas City.
    Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The team settled on a patient with SD Autism Spectrum disorder who had an ankle sprain but frustrated Dr. Langdon (Patrick Ball) with his endless questions.
    Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Although so highly esteemed, the notoriously taciturn director would often frustrate his colleagues by his reticence to explain his directorial intentions.
    Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Inspired by the urgent call from birth justice leaders and alarming CDC statistics showing Black women in the United States are three times more likely to die from pregnancy complications than white women.
    Melissa Noel, Essence, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Are we supposed to be alarmed that team is falling apart?
    Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Intentional planning helps prevent the kind of drifting that often deepens midlife dissatisfaction.
    Greg Orme, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025
  • President Donald Trump's approval rating average among polls has dropped to its lowest point since returning to the White House, signaling growing dissatisfaction among voters.
    Jason D. Greenblatt, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dismay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dismay. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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