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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to concern
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
parents who became increasingly dismayed by their son's foundering marriage
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dismay
ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
To his dismay, MJ has a new man in her life.
—Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2026
Republicans may be dismayed to see the two popular party leaders battling it out in what promises to be a brutal and expensive election.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dismay
Noun
Cook Islanders hold New Zealand passports, which was partly why the deals with China prompted such dismay about security in Wellington.
—ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
To his dismay, MJ has a new man in her life.
—Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
At some point this past fall, Hegseth’s under-secretary for research and engineering, the former Uber executive Emil Michael, reviewed the Pentagon’s arrangement with Anthropic and was dismayed to find that Claude could not be deployed according to the government’s every whim.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2026
Republicans may be dismayed to see the two popular party leaders battling it out in what promises to be a brutal and expensive election.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dismay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dismay
Noun
-
The penultimate episode rushes through its climax, but even that brief disappointment, in hindsight, feels like a choice meant to foreground what really matters.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
9 Apr. 2026
-
In an interview with CNN, Rutte said Trump had made his disappointment with NATO allies clear.—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
April, a season of hope for many, was always a month of despair for them.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Nastiness can be framed as a function of mourning a loved one, as with Dorinda’s rants on RHONY; or despair over personal crises, as with RHOC star Shannon Beador’s DUI and car crash.—
Shamira Ibrahim,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The income that a proficiency with needle and thread commands relative to the skills needed and the physical toll of bending over detailed work for hours likely discourages teenagers and young adults from heeding Bae’s advice, fashion industry experts said.—
Anne D’Innocenzio,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Apr. 2026
-
In 2019, the odds for the three worst teams were flattened, as a way to discourage teams from racing to the bottom.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The second dismissed count concerned an allegation that Panini attempted to induce high-profile 2023 and 2024 NFL Draft prospects to breach their exclusive licensing deals with Fanatics.—
Larry Holder,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
-
That top speed lands this bike squarely in minibike territory, as far as I'm concerned.—
Joe Salas
April 07,
New Atlas,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Southern California residents are voicing their frustrations over the cost of tickets for the LA28 Olympic Games, which event organizers have billed as affordable, especially after getting early access last week.—
Laurie Perez,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
-
For years, summer day camp registration has been a source of frustration.—
Carlos Ramirez-Rosa,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Despite that, Bunnell and his neighbor, Tom Williams, who received the same notice, are frustrated by the inconvenience.—
Luzdelia Caballero,
CBS News,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Homeowners across Central Florida have been frustrated to find their piles of dead leaves, branches and plants — victims of February’s hard freeze — still sitting on their curbs because waste haulers haven’t picked it up on time.—
Ryan Gillespie,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Aside from the primary deficit, economists are also alarmed by the interest payments now required to service the debt—estimated to come in at more than $1 trillion this year.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The Rajput rulers of the Shivalik Hills, alarmed by the growing Sikh influence in the region, had sought Aurangzeb’s assistance after failed attempts to dislodge the Guru from Anandpur, Punjab.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The example Marine likes to cite in thinking for tomorrow as much as today is how Amazon has handled dissatisfaction with deliveries.—
Andrew Marchand,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Ahead of the runoff, Carl Cavalli, a political science professor at the University of North Georgia, told ABC News that dissatisfaction with the war in Iran among Republicans could serve in Harris' favor.—
Halle Troadec,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dismay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dismay. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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