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
Ron Lieber, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2025
More than 25,000 people will hit the road Sunday for the 40th running of the Los Angeles Marathon, to the delight of race fans and the dismay of drivers making their way through the area.
—Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2025
Michela Wrong, Foreign Affairs, 3 Mar. 2025
As the public faces of that process, Winstanley and Stewart are understandably lightning rods for a fanbase still dazed and dismayed by the club’s post-Abramovich reality.
—Liam Twomey, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dismay
Noun
The National Flood Insurance Program’s premiums may not fully reflect the true risk of the property, much to the dismay of anyone (environmentalists, legislators, taxpayers) who wants to discourage more building on coastlines and in places that are prone to flooding.
—Ron Lieber, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2025
More than 25,000 people will hit the road Sunday for the 40th running of the Los Angeles Marathon, to the delight of race fans and the dismay of drivers making their way through the area.
—Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 15 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
As the public faces of that process, Winstanley and Stewart are understandably lightning rods for a fanbase still dazed and dismayed by the club’s post-Abramovich reality.
—Liam Twomey, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dismay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dismay
Noun
-
Speaking of that, The Electric State and its 15% score is all the way down to #9 on the list, falling faster than its competitors and while Netflix won’t say it, is undoubtedly a big disappointment for them.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
30 Mar. 2025
-
Based on where expectations were at the beginning of the season, this Sabres team has been a colossal disappointment.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Cohen said counterintelligence operations throughout history have targeted disgruntled federal employees who are left in despair and with no way to pay off their expenses and debts.—
Ivan Pereira,
ABC News,
21 Mar. 2025
-
This has contributed to a widespread mood of despair.—
Kevin A. Young,
The Conversation,
18 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
All of our drug policies must remain oriented toward discouraging drug use.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
21 Mar. 2025
-
Stomach cramps: Not eating enough food can cause stomach pain or cramps, which may also discourage eating.—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
20 Mar. 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
-
Kurt’s key takeaways Taking a few minutes to protect your data and devices today can save you hours of frustration, heartache and financial loss tomorrow.—
Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report,
Fox News,
22 Mar. 2025
-
In one post, a former colleague expresses frustration that the book seems to take credit for his efforts at the company.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
22 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes said Tuesday that Trump is frustrated with the Russian position but that talks continue.—
Barak Ravid,
Axios,
2 Apr. 2025
-
But as Democrats search for a next generation of leadership, frustrated with the old-timers at the top, Booker’s speech could cement his status as a leading figure in the party’s opposition to Trump.—
Mike Catalini and Stephen Groves,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
This abuse of immigration law should alarm us all, citizens and noncitizens alike.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Mar. 2025
-
In response to Saturday's exchange of fire, the United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, said it was alarmed by the possible escalation of violence in the area.—
Kat Lonsdorf,
NPR,
22 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Even before the pandemic, intensive care nurses reported dissatisfaction and frustration with hospital procedures that failed to honor patients’ preferences at the end of life.—
Corinne Purtill,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Mar. 2025
-
That was bad for teachers and students and was a root cause of growing parental dissatisfaction and mistrust of public education.—
James A. Kadamus,
Hartford Courant,
16 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dismay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dismay. Accessed 4 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share