Synonyms of dismay

dismay 1 of 2

noun

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

• disappointment
• frustration
• dissatisfaction
• sadness
• displeasure
• sorrow
• discontent
• letdown
• distress
• chagrin
• disillusionment
• discontentment
• disgruntlement
• disenchantment
• unhappiness
• dejection
• melancholy
• oppression
• discomfiture
• gloom
• discontentedness
• gloominess
• joylessness
• crestfallenness
• blues
• dumps
• dreariness
• despondency
• depression
• dolor
• dejectedness
• downheartedness
• disconsolateness
• mopes
• doldrums
• desolation
• desolateness
• dolefulness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• satisfaction
• content
• contentment
• gratification
• joy
• fulfillment
• contentedness
• happiness
• bliss
• gladness
• felicity

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

• despair
• discouragement
• defeatism
• depression
• demoralization
• despondency
• disheartenment
• dejection
• gloom
• melancholy
• resignation
• dispiritedness
• dumps
• pessimism
• blues
• mopes

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• encouragement
• optimism
• sanguinity

dismay

2 of 2

verb

dis-ˈmā 

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

• discourage
• frustrate
• daunt
• intimidate
• worry
• frighten
• dishearten
• scare
• trouble
• unnerve
• dispirit
• horrify
• distress
• bother
• demoralize
• chill
• sadden
• throw cold water on
• browbeat
• weigh
• cow
• unman
• afflict
• try
• bully
• undermine
• irk
• depress
• dampen
• vex
• weaken
• deaden
• damp
• debilitate
• enfeeble

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• encourage
• nerve
• steel
• cheer
• assure
• reinforce
• enforce
• hearten
• strengthen
• embolden
• reassure
• enliven
• buoy (up)
• gladden
• animate
• excite
• stir
• stimulate
• provoke
• inspire
• invigorate
• fortify
• lift
• boost
• rally
• energize
• quicken
• galvanize

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

• concern
• alarm
• worry
• bother
• anger
• disturb
• distract
• distress
• upset
• discomfort
• unsettle
• annoy
• disquiet
• agitate
• plague
• haunt
• confuse
• irritate
• ail
• fuss
• discompose
• perturb
• derail
• unhinge
• exercise
• embarrass
• undo
• flurry
• exasperate
• weird out
• freak (out)
• rattle
• distemper
• aggravate
• irk
• bug
• hagride
• vex
• frazzle
• discourage
• pique
• harass
• rile
• fret
• fluster
• discomfit
• harry
• chafe
• disconcert
• pester
• put off
• peeve
• grate
• put out
• confound
• gall
• bedevil
• shake up
• mortify
• faze
• daunt
• unnerve
• dishearten
• abash
• nettle
• dispirit
• get
• discountenance
• chivy
• nonplus
• demoralize
• jar

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• soothe
• calm
• quiet
• settle
• alleviate
• compose
• allay
• assuage
• appease
• placate
• tranquilize
• mollify
• pacify
• conciliate
• propitiate

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb dismay contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of dismay are appall, daunt, and horrify. While all these words mean "to unnerve or deter by arousing fear, apprehension, or aversion," dismay implies that one is disconcerted and at a loss as to how to deal with something.

dismayed at the size of the job

When would appall be a good substitute for dismay?

While the synonyms appall and dismay are close in meaning, appall implies that one is faced with that which perturbs, confounds, or shocks.

I am appalled by your behavior

In what contexts can daunt take the place of dismay?

In some situations, the words daunt and dismay are roughly equivalent. However, daunt suggests a cowing, disheartening, or frightening in a venture requiring courage.

a cliff that would daunt the most intrepid climber

Where would horrify be a reasonable alternative to dismay?

The words horrify and dismay can be used in similar contexts, but horrify stresses a reaction of horror or revulsion.

was horrified by such wanton cruelty

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of dismay

Noun

An unhappy passenger took to Reddit recently to express dismay about a one-hour flight delay because of an uncontrollable toddler on a flight in Sweden. — Perri Ormont Blumberg, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2026

Incredibly, neither finalist was able to beat the Blue Sharks in 90 minutes of soccer – the nation also held Spain to a 0-0 draw in its opening group-stage fixture, much to the dismay of the above Spanish editor. — Ben Church, CNN Money, 17 July 2026

Verb

When Twain lunched with Theodore Roosevelt, he was dismayed that the president dragged in his Rough Rider exploits in Cuba three or four times. — Ron Chernow, The Atlantic, 2 July 2026

Petrescu told me that she was dismayed by the decision to send Ahmed. — Heidi Blake, New Yorker, 8 June 2026