chagrin

1 of 2

noun

cha·​grin shə-ˈgrin How to pronounce chagrin (audio)
 British usually  ˈsha-grin
: disquietude or distress of mind caused by humiliation, disappointment, or failure

chagrin

2 of 2

verb

chagrined shə-ˈgrind How to pronounce chagrin (audio)
 British usually  ˈsha-grind
; chagrining shə-ˈgri-niŋ How to pronounce chagrin (audio)
 British usually  ˈsha-gri-niŋ

transitive verb

: 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.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The Republic skipped that show, much to the chagrin of John K. Hughes, a local Springsteen fan. Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 18 Mar. 2024 News reports Tuesday morning indicated production had been in full swing for a Swift performance in partnership with Disney+, much to the chagrin of the surrounding neighbors. Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 12 Mar. 2024 Still, the image of Stone, with her back turned to the audience in dismay and chagrin, was a memorable one. Robin Givhan, Washington Post, 12 Mar. 2024 Its meteoric rise has been buoyed — much to the chagrin of some — by the interest in all things fermented and gut-friendly. Kim Severson, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2024 Our old vacuum used to bump into our dog (much to his chagrin), and this one doesn't. Madison Yauger, Peoplemag, 1 Mar. 2024 That’s what *Privacy Not Included, a consumer guide from Mozilla Foundation, has determined, much to the chagrin of lonely hearts who are taking advantage of OpenAI’s new GPT store. Susan Howson, Quartz, 18 Feb. 2024 His co-star America Ferrera is the only other member of the cast to receive an Oscar nomination (much to the chagrin of Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig fans), however the whole production got a best picture nod, which is quite the feat for a film about a children's toy. Sam Reed, Glamour, 10 Mar. 2024 Much to the chagrin of stakeholders who have demanded staff get back to their desks full-time, Placer.ai’s findings actually paint a busier picture of offices than other datasets. Byeleanor Pringle, Fortune, 8 Mar. 2024
Verb
Sadie is chagrined to be thrown together with her ex, Malcolm (Brandon Scott), when he’s named the frontrunner’s spokesperson. Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 12 Mar. 2024 Those close to Willis say she was badly rattled in the aftermath of the revelations, distraught to see her private life aired and chagrined to be criticized after a career with so many accolades. Daniel Klaidman, CBS News, 2 Feb. 2024 Thiel nodded reverently, his expression a blend of hope and chagrin. Jack Butler, National Review, 31 Dec. 2023 Numbers show this sentiment is pervasive among workers, much to employers’ chagrin. Jasmine Browley, Essence, 20 Dec. 2023 Unlike the old-money aristocracy who traced their wealth to their European ancestors, the new rich thrived in industry and flaunted their wealth, much to the old rich’s disgust and chagrin. Chris Vognar, New York Times, 8 Nov. 2023 The Ethiopian authorities, chagrined, tried to figure out how Kidane had bribed his way to freedom. Ed Caesar, The New Yorker, 6 Nov. 2023 In the orange-and-yellow-hued image, Trump appears to be almost cackling; Romney looks chagrined, his eyebrows raised and his lips drawn together. Michael Luo, The New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2023 Anyone who has cooked chicken or turkey has probably had the experience of cutting into the bird only to be chagrined or disappointed — or both — to find the meat looks bloody or pink (and not the good kind of perky Barbie pink). Becky Krystal, Washington Post, 31 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'chagrin.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

French, from chagrin sad

First Known Use

Noun

1661, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1733, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of chagrin was in 1661

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Dictionary Entries Near chagrin

Cite this Entry

“Chagrin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chagrin. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

chagrin

1 of 2 noun
cha·​grin shə-ˈgrin How to pronounce chagrin (audio)
: a feeling of being annoyed by failure or disappointment

chagrin

2 of 2 verb
chagrined -ˈgrind How to pronounce chagrin (audio) ; chagrining -ˈgrin-iŋ How to pronounce chagrin (audio)
: to cause to feel chagrin
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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