displease

verb

dis·​please (ˌ)dis-ˈplēz How to pronounce displease (audio)
displeased; displeasing; displeases

transitive verb

1
: to incur the disapproval or dislike of especially by annoying
their gossip displeases her
2
: to be offensive to
abstract art displeases him

intransitive verb

: to give displeasure
behavior calculated to displease

Examples of displease in a Sentence

her coworkers' tendency to pry displeased her
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
George, displeased that the Clippers would only offer a three-year deal, bounced for Philadelphia on a four-year max. Sam Amick, New York Times, 9 July 2025 In 2016, some members of Xiaomi’s supply chain team displeased Samsung Electronics Co. representatives and the South Korean firm threatened to halt supply of its industry-leading AMOLED screens. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 7 July 2025 To Sumner’s disappointment, Lincoln was displeased with the new law, now known as the First Confiscation Act. Zaakir Tameez june 11, Literary Hub, 11 June 2025 Others being apprehended are law-abiding immigrants here legally, who have displeased the current administration through nonviolent exercise of the right to free speech. Chicago Tribune, 21 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for displease

Word History

Etymology

Middle English displesen, from Anglo-French despleisir, desplere, from des- dis- + pleisir to please — more at please

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of displease was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Displease.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/displease. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

displease

verb
dis·​please (ˈ)dis-ˈplēz How to pronounce displease (audio)
: to cause to feel disapproval, dislike, or annoyance
was displeased by the delay

More from Merriam-Webster on displease

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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