1
as in disappointment
the emotion felt when one's expectations are not met
filled with dismay at not making the finals
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in despair
the state of being discouraged
in my dismay I failed to realize that there would be other chances
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to discourage
to lessen the courage or confidence of
the imposing climb up the mountain dismayed us even before we got started
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to concern
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
parents who became increasingly dismayed by their son's foundering marriage
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
The governor made little effort to hide his dismay once the announcement became public, nor his desire to fill the big screen void ASAP.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 28 Mar. 2025
Michela Wrong, Foreign Affairs, 3 Mar. 2025
Editors’ Picks Your Questions About Fentanyl, Answered Some federal officials who oversee grants said they were particularly dismayed by a question asking grantees to disavow associations with communist entities.
—Sheryl Gay Stolberg, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dismay
Noun
That did in fact work out quite well, but in the case of Hogwarts Legacy, there’s no online component to fall back to, much to David Zaslav’s dismay.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
The governor made little effort to hide his dismay once the announcement became public, nor his desire to fill the big screen void ASAP.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 28 Mar. 2025
Verb
Some African leaders have undoubtedly been dismayed by Kigali’s aggression, with its obvious echoes of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
—Michela Wrong, Foreign Affairs, 3 Mar. 2025
Editors’ Picks Your Questions About Fentanyl, Answered Some federal officials who oversee grants said they were particularly dismayed by a question asking grantees to disavow associations with communist entities.
—Sheryl Gay Stolberg, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dismay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dismay
Noun
-
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
-
Delgado and Renna said the hardships and near-misses of early-season disappointments set the stage for Tuesday’s triumphs.—
Mark Puleo,
New York Times,
10 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Most importantly, families who have already been traumatized and marginalized will be nurtured by communities rather than pressed farther away from them, deeper into despair.—
Jeff Hobbs,
Time,
10 Apr. 2025
-
As weeks stretch on, sadness can deepen into despair, shadowed by shame.—
Jack Kelly,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
In Maui, while some of the island’s celebrity homeowners initially discouraged visitors from returning, the region was welcoming people back two months after the wildfires, says Kalani Kaʻanāʻanā, chief stewardship officer at the Hawaii Tourism Authority.—
Shoshi Parks,
Smithsonian Magazine,
14 Apr. 2025
-
That change is avoidable, Dalio said, if lawmakers work together to trim the deficit and the U.S. discourages conflict and inefficient policy on the global stage.—
Russell Leung,
CNBC,
13 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
This was concerning and also shocking because no one likes him.—
The Totally Football Show,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
-
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
Noun
-
There’s a sense of frustration that comes with that, like, How come no one’s listening to the voice of a generation?—
Cat Cardenas,
Vogue,
16 Apr. 2025
-
The president has voiced frustration with the 1973 law and similar environmental protections, saying environmentalists are impeding growth.—
Kristin Brown,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
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
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
-
Trump’s appeal to specific segments of the Latino community — particularly in Florida and parts of Texas — was driven by factors such as economic concerns, cultural conservatism, and dissatisfaction with the status quo.—
Jesse Mejia,
Hartford Courant,
11 Apr. 2025
-
But while one partner might accept this as normal, the other may still crave excitement, leading to frustration or dissatisfaction.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
11 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dismay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dismay. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share