DISMAYING Synonyms: 176 Similar and Opposite Words

dismaying 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of dismaying

as in disconcerting

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dismaying

2 of 2

verb

present participle of dismay

as in discouraging

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

as in alarming

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

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 dismaying

Adjective

But there’s another side to this story, equally dismaying, which is the abandonment of dissidents as a public cause in the West. — Bret Stephens, Mercury News, 12 Feb. 2026 With little to no foil for this dismaying existence, however, Half His Age often succumbs to shock value in lieu of pushing beyond that which offends. — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 22 Jan. 2026

Verb

Thinking of my mother marooned in her house was dismaying to me. — Nicholas Dawidoff, New Yorker, 10 May 2026 That the Illini couldn’t complete their comeback attempt despite cutting it to four in the final minutes was dismaying. — Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dismaying

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dismaying

Adjective

There was a brief, disconcerting interlude of quiet from the Argentina fans after that.

— Sam Knight, New Yorker, 20 July 2026
The traditional avenue for dealing with this disconcerting situation would be to hire specialist counselors trained as therapists and psychologists and station them at the schools for ready access by students.

— Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026

Definition of disconcerting

Verb

The story publicizing the divorce ran three weeks after Holscher sent the message discouraging interference in the primary.

— Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 30 July 2026
And furthermore, shouldn’t the federal government be promoting public service, such as teaching, rather than discouraging it?

— Matthew Scogin, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026

Definition of discouraging

Verb

In Orange County, the Florida Department of Health in Orange County maintains infectious-disease surveillance and disease-reporting services for residents and visitors, which is exactly how local systems stay ready without alarming the public.

— Luis E. Caso Vega, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 July 2026
So, even just the unusual presence of an aircraft in this area made this incident alarming for one resident, Anna, who spoke to CNN near the scene.

— Steven Jiang, CNN Money, 26 June 2026

Definition of alarming

Adjective

Selina Wang, the lead author of the study, says the findings are particularly disheartening, as avocado oil products are often much more expensive than those made with olive or other vegetable oils.

— Brittney Melton, NPR, 24 July 2026
That process repeats over and over and can be very disheartening to the team.

— Peter Nelson, ArsTechnica, 10 July 2026

Definition of disheartening

Verb

But Algo’s hyper-logical, computerised process of consistently picking the favourites to win was undone in the second match of the day, with Ghana frustrating England in a 0-0 draw.

— The Athletic Soccer Experts, New York Times, 24 June 2026
The documentary’s contradiction is right there, enthralling us with the wild achievements Potter pulled off and frustrating us with his bombast, leading us to ponder whether, as The Dark Wizard suggests, either could exist without the other.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 7 May 2026

Definition of frustrating

Verb

Harper’s left behind records detailing disturbing behavior that seem not to have been based in fact.

— Keith Phipps, Vulture, 30 July 2026
Out of competition The world of elite sports is taken to disturbing new heights full of brutality and painful ambition in the new film from Nikias Chryssos (The Bunker, Rave On, A Pure Place).

— Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 29 July 2026

Definition of disturbing

Adjective

But what’s perhaps more troubling are the implications of AI as an increasingly active participant in conversations surrounding beauty.

— Jaimie Potters, InStyle, 5 Aug. 2026
But when state attorneys general bring an antitrust lawsuit in large part to get around First Amendment protections, that is deeply troubling.

— Chris Wallace, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of troubling

Verb

This can help address the root cause of behaviors such as spending excessive time in bed awake, maintaining irregular sleep schedules, and conditioned arousal such as worrying about sleep.

— Joan M. Cook, Time, 31 July 2026
Why Co-Viewing Matters Today In 2026, parents spend a lot of time worrying about screen time.

— Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 31 July 2026

Definition of worrying

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“Dismaying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dismaying. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of dismaying

adjective

verb

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