dismay

1 to lessen the courage or confidence of the imposing climb up the mountain dismayed us even before we got started Synonyms chill, daunt, demoralize, dishearten, discourage, dispirit, frustrate, unman, unnerveRelated Words browbeat, bully, cow, intimidate; depress, sadden, weigh; afflict, try; damp, dampen, deaden; distress, trouble; bother, irk, vex, worry; debilitate, enfeeble, undermine, weaken; frighten, horrify, scareNear Antonyms buoy (up), cheer, gladden; animate, enliven, invigorate; enforce, fortify, reinforce (also reenforce), strengthen; assure, reassure; boost, energize, excite, galvanize, inspire, lift, provoke, quicken, rally, stimulate, stirAntonyms embolden, encourage, hearten, nerve, steel

2 to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy parents who became increasingly dismayed by their son's foundering marriage Synonyms agitate, ail, alarm (also alarum), bother, concern, derail, discomfort, discompose, disturb, disquiet, distemper, distract, distress, exercise, flurry, frazzle, freak (out), fuss, hagride, perturb, undo, unhinge, unsettle, upset, weird out, worryRelated Words aggravate, anger, annoy, bug, chafe, chivy (or chivvy), exasperate, fret, gall, get, grate, harass, harry, irk, irritate, nettle, peeve, pester, pique, put off, put out, rile, vex; bedevil, haunt, plague; abash, confound, confuse, discomfit, disconcert, discountenance, embarrass, faze, fluster, jar, mortify, nonplus, rattle, shake up; daunt, demoralize, discourage, dishearten, dispirit, unnerveNear Antonyms allay, alleviate, assuage; appease, conciliate, mollify, pacify, placate, propitiateAntonyms calm, compose, quiet, settle, soothe, tranquilize (also tranquillize)