Synonym Chooser

How does the verb discomfit contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of discomfit are abash, disconcert, embarrass, and rattle. While all these words mean "to distress by confusing or confounding," discomfit implies a hampering or frustrating accompanied by confusion.

hecklers discomfited the speaker

When is abash a more appropriate choice than discomfit?

In some situations, the words abash and discomfit are roughly equivalent. However, abash presupposes some initial self-confidence that receives a sudden check, producing shyness, shame, or a feeling of inferiority.

abashed by her swift and cutting retort

When could disconcert be used to replace discomfit?

The synonyms disconcert and discomfit are sometimes interchangeable, but disconcert implies an upsetting of equanimity or assurance producing uncertainty or hesitancy.

disconcerted by finding so many in attendance

When can embarrass be used instead of discomfit?

The words embarrass and discomfit can be used in similar contexts, but embarrass implies some influence that impedes thought, speech, or action.

the question embarrassed her so much she couldn't answer

In what contexts can rattle take the place of discomfit?

While in some cases nearly identical to discomfit, rattle implies an agitation that impairs thought and judgment.

rattled by all the television cameras

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 discomfit Greeley also faced vicious political attacks, discomfiting even for a man who was accustomed to controversy. Greg Daugherty, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Sep. 2024 Five city employees testified that Jacobs subjected them to unwanted, inappropriate or otherwise discomfiting physical contact at work, including a forcible kiss, massages, squeezes and tight hugs. Tom Dreisbach, NPR, 3 Sep. 2024 Such a radical dismantling of intellectual assumptions -- which are rooted in a seemingly ineradicable faith in progressive secularization -- would no doubt discomfit Anderson. Pankaj Mishra, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2013 Those passages were both discomfiting and electrifying. Roxana Robinson, TIME, 18 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for discomfit 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discomfit
Verb
  • And with all the investigative resources and research methods of academia, I have been frustrated by the death of expertise on social media platforms that value high-frequency reactions and often baseless punditry—not rigor.
    Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025
  • The most recent deadline extensions weren’t announced until the day before the vouchers were set to expire, which frustrated him.
    Nora O’Neill, Charlotte Observer, 17 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • But the fanbases of those games are not buying it, and have undergone a campaign to embarrass Musk as much as possible about his claims, dragging him into childish internet fights.
    Paul Tassi, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
  • And, yes, some justices should also regret embarrassing the court by needlessly attracting attention to their ethics.
    Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The legal process can be both daunting and baffling without the help of a lawyer to navigate the rules.
    Ben Wieder, Miami Herald, 26 Jan. 2025
  • We may be baffled by a public that rejoiced in the baiting of bears.
    Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Some residents have confused local law enforcement for ICE agents, said Earl Stoddard, an assistant chief administrative officer in Montgomery County, a sign of locals' anxieties that their neighborhood could be the agency's next target.
    DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE STAFF FROM WIRE REPORTS, arkansasonline.com, 25 Jan. 2025
  • After a whirlwind of speculation and confusing back-and-forth negotiations, the Jacksonville Jaguars have officially hired former Tampa Bay offensive coordinator Liam Coen as their new head coach.
    Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 25 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The Dodgers’ track record with young arms is disconcerting, but no other team has the necessary depth to effectively deploy a six-man rotation without compromising its chances of winning.
    Dylan Hernández, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2025
  • That text message turned out to be the first in a series of disconcerting messages friends and family members would apparently receive from Michael Shaver over the course of the next two and a half years.
    Paige Harriss, ABC News, 10 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • In the game’s opening minutes, UCLA’s pressure defense flustered the Scarlet Knights into a few turnovers before Johnson picked up his second foul and headed to the bench for the balance of the first half.
    Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2025
  • Lockport sophomore Rebekah Ramirez doesn’t get flustered by the unexpected.
    Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 7 Jan. 2025

Podcast

Thesaurus Entries Near discomfit

Cite this Entry

“Discomfit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discomfit. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on discomfit

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!