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 The dynamic and popular preacher discomfited many in his parish with his increasingly pointed critiques of inequities and corruption in the city. Time, 22 July 2025 From this chamber poured a seemingly incessant stream of sordid details, discomfiting puzzle pieces that added up to a portrait of a man who used his fame and fortune to reduce his female victims to chattel. Marco Della Cava, USA Today, 3 July 2025 In every movement or institution, there is a generational turnover that can be discomfiting. Michael Brendan Dougherty, National Review, 30 June 2025 The president’s actions appear to be a response to the market bloodbath — a discomfiting development for many Trump supporters who depend on union pension funds or 401(k) retirement accounts. Editorial, Boston Herald, 12 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for discomfit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discomfit
Verb
  • If the White House grows distracted, or frustrated by slow progress, fighting could easily resume.
    Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Appearing frustrated, Pitzer grabbed the child’s finger and used it to smear icing onto their face, according to the sheriff’s office.
    Julia Marnin, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The Bears lost this matchup in embarrassing fashion last year as the Commanders completed a Hail Mary with time expiring.
    Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
  • The games themselves are embarrassing enough to watch.
    Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • But the immediacy around these conversations about the Titans are baffling to me.
    Nick Suss, Nashville Tennessean, 13 Oct. 2025
  • And suddenly, Glenn and the Jets headed to halftime without running a play in the nearly 40 seconds at their disposal, a move that baffled both their loyalists in New Jersey and the Broncos’ sideline across the pond.
    Luca Evans, Denver Post, 12 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • But too often, this instinct to chase conflict distorts reality and confuses the public.
    Nancy Gibbs, Time, 17 Oct. 2025
  • This view confuses structure with behavior.
    Dave Smith, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The code, though, is currently often replete with disconcerting troubles.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
  • The Federal Reserve is meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday to determine the appropriate monetary policy that can both address both inflation risks alongside the increasingly disconcerting state of the U.S. labor market.
    Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Nor is he flustered when the offense stalls.
    Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Listed at 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds, Trigg is on a hot streak with 60-plus yards in three straight games, including 155 yards against a Kansas State defense that flustered TCU on Saturday in Manhattan.
    Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Discomfit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discomfit. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.

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