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 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 The city’s residents tired of D’Annunzio’s reckless rule, and his bellicose posturing and expansionist maneuvers discomfited the Italian monarchy. Richard Brody, New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for discomfit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discomfit
Verb
  • Broner also got frustrated on multiple occasions upon noticing that someone was recording him, and even grabbed the phone at one point.
    Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 24 Sep. 2025
  • The mayor of Lobitos, Ricardo Bancayan Eche insists that protecting the waves is an issue close to his heart but says he is frustrated by national politics.
    Sabrina Weiss, The Dial, 23 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The Epstein scandal continues to embarrass the British royal family, even years after Jeffrey Epstein’s death.
    Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 26 Sep. 2025
  • Me, a beautiful and clever five-time Emmy-winning writer with a few Wednesday nights free, and The Golden Bachelor, a heartwarming and adorable exploration of women’s second acts with a male doofus at the center who has already embarrassed himself.
    Ali Barthwell, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Fans in the surrounding section can be heard in shock, baffled that the man gave away such a coveted possession.
    Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2025
  • Zeidman was baffled that Shane had been the first person Brooklyn prosecutors sought to execute.
    John J. Lennon, Rolling Stone, 23 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • By bridging cutting-edge research with accessible, actionable advice, this book fills a critical gap in the menopause conversation — one that has left millions of women confused, underserved and unheard.
    Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025
  • Others commented on the eeriness of discovering unfamiliar images in one’s personal gallery and the realization of how default app settings can confuse or alarm users.
    Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 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
  • In the interview, which was published Thursday, Roberts recalled becoming flustered ahead of her first encounter with Sevigny.
    Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 20 Sep. 2025
  • It doesn’t get flustered by high-pressure sales tactics or feel rushed to make a decision.
    Maya Ackerman, Fortune, 10 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Discomfit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discomfit. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.

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