: disquietude or distress of mind caused by humiliation, disappointment, or failure
chagrined
shə-ˈgrind 
British usually ˈsha-grind
; chagrining
shə-ˈgri-niŋ
British usually ˈsha-gri-niŋ
: to vex or unsettle by disappointing or humiliating
he was chagrined to learn that his help was not needed
Did you know?
Chagrin comes from French, in which it means "grief," "sorrow," or essentially the same thing as English's chagrin, and in which it is also an adjective meaning "sad."
Examples of chagrin in a Sentence
Noun
As many a woman has learned to her chagrin, pathological liars are brilliant at deception.
—
Katha Pollitt, Nation, 16 June 2003
In World War I, to his chagrin, Eisenhower again found himself on the sidelines, performing training duties stateside while Pershing, MacArthur, and Patton earned their battle ribbons.
—U.S. News & World Report, 16 Mar. 1998
In 1628, to the chagrin of Governor William Bradford, the Pilgrims erected an 80-foot Maypole, danced around it, drank beer, and sang.
—E. C. Krupp, Sky & Telescope, May 1994
Imagine my chagrin when a whiz kid from Dayton made all A's in the first quarter while I made two B's and a C+.
—John Hope Franklin, Race and History, 1989
The fact that he'd been unable to attend the funeral was a source of chagrin for Ted.
She had gained five pounds over the winter, much to her chagrin.
He decided to get a tattoo, to the chagrin of his parents.
Katha Pollitt, Nation, 16 June 2003
In World War I, to his chagrin, Eisenhower again found himself on the sidelines, performing training duties stateside while Pershing, MacArthur, and Patton earned their battle ribbons.
—U.S. News & World Report, 16 Mar. 1998
In 1628, to the chagrin of Governor William Bradford, the Pilgrims erected an 80-foot Maypole, danced around it, drank beer, and sang.
—E. C. Krupp, Sky & Telescope, May 1994
Imagine my chagrin when a whiz kid from Dayton made all A's in the first quarter while I made two B's and a C+.
—John Hope Franklin, Race and History, 1989
The fact that he'd been unable to attend the funeral was a source of chagrin for Ted.
She had gained five pounds over the winter, much to her chagrin.
He decided to get a tattoo, to the chagrin of his parents.
Recent Examples on the Web
Brady Knox, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 4 Mar. 2025
This team netted $600k in trade acquisitions and didn’t spend a dime in player retention, yet sat out all the big money early rounds here, probably to the chagrin of the rest of the league.
—Todd Boss, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 25 Feb. 2025
Dog Man’s success chagrins his boss, Chief (Li’l Rel Howery), and delights the local TV reporter Sarah Hatoff (Isla Fisher).
—Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 30 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chagrin
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Noun
Publishers are increasingly ditching nonfiction paperback books, much to the chagrin of authors.
—Brady Knox, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 4 Mar. 2025
This team netted $600k in trade acquisitions and didn’t spend a dime in player retention, yet sat out all the big money early rounds here, probably to the chagrin of the rest of the league.
—Todd Boss, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
Verb
The actor said that his deliberately irritating gambit drew major laughs, to Reeves chagrin and Roberts' delight.
—Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 25 Feb. 2025
Dog Man’s success chagrins his boss, Chief (Li’l Rel Howery), and delights the local TV reporter Sarah Hatoff (Isla Fisher).
—Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 30 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chagrin
Articles Related to chagrin
Cite this Entry
“Chagrin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chagrin. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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