1
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in alarming
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
parents who became increasingly dismayed by their son's foundering marriage
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in disconcerting
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dismaying
Michela Wrong, Foreign Affairs, 3 Mar. 2025
Americans, and a dismaying number of politicians, keep crying for a crackdown on crimes that aren’t happening.
—F.k. Plous, Chicago Tribune, 8 Jan. 2025
The late President’s priorities were remarkably prescient, and his personal qualities offered a dismaying contrast to so much of the present state of American politics.
—Erin Neil, The New Yorker, 30 Dec. 2024
And yet the industry is beset by a dismaying trend: More and more, people are watching movies on their laptops, tablets, and smartphones.
—IEEE Spectrum, 21 Feb. 2014
See All Example Sentences for dismaying
Verb
For the Congolese government, the ineffective Western responses follow a dismaying pattern.
—Michela Wrong, Foreign Affairs, 3 Mar. 2025
Americans, and a dismaying number of politicians, keep crying for a crackdown on crimes that aren’t happening.
—F.k. Plous, Chicago Tribune, 8 Jan. 2025
The late President’s priorities were remarkably prescient, and his personal qualities offered a dismaying contrast to so much of the present state of American politics.
—Erin Neil, The New Yorker, 30 Dec. 2024
And yet the industry is beset by a dismaying trend: More and more, people are watching movies on their laptops, tablets, and smartphones.
—IEEE Spectrum, 21 Feb. 2014
See All Example Sentences for dismaying
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dismaying
Verb
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Those concerns were not discouraging people online and around me from embracing the reformer machine.—
Leah Asmelash,
CNN Money,
7 Sep. 2025
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This would include more stoutly discouraging the delusion and possibly being completely upfront and clamping down on it.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The tackling was alarming enough that the Broncos were practicing on Monday with live tackles, something that’s not seen too often once the season starts.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
1 Sep. 2025
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The news was saddening for Jewell — but also alarming for the defense.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
19 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Detecting disconcerting commentary in user prompts is relatively straightforward when contending with short chats.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
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Ending up in a small coastal town in Greece, her initially peaceful trip takes a disconcerting turn when a young family staying at a nearby villa unearths painful memories.—
Alex Gurley,
People.com,
31 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Two players take on the roles of a brother and sister who are searching for their missing buddies on an island inhabited by some rather disturbing monsters.—
Joshua Lamb,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
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In 2020, 13-year-old Lauryn Licari and her middle-school boyfriend, Owen McKenny, started getting constant graphic and disturbing messages from an unknown number out of the blue.—
Stephanie McNeal,
Glamour,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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But for a teenager itching to see more of Britain—and eventually the world—that lack of curiosity was disheartening.—
Rohan Banerjee,
Time,
23 Aug. 2025
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So, the idea of the teen driver owing an additional $4,200 on the SUV after paying fees and putting money down ($1,500-$2,000) is disheartening to say the least.—
Charles Singh,
USA Today,
11 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Patients often wait until the doctor is standing up to leave before blurting out their real concern, which is typically a sensitive or time-consuming problem, such as wanting to start birth control, having painful periods, or worrying about pregnancy or STDs.—
Dr. Jill Grimes,
CNN Money,
8 Sep. 2025
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Losing or leaving a job is already stressful enough without worrying about when your last paycheck will show up.—
Tiffani Jackson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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In Wind River, the investigation into Natalie's death is hindered by a troubling legal gap.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Sep. 2025
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In addition—and even more troubling—there remains a question of what this means for the work environment at the DOJ.—
Andrew Binns,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The front-dash-spanning 48-inch screen is the headline feature, and, inside the car, almost the eyeline feature, but not a distracting one, despite its width.—
Erik Shilling,
Robb Report,
2 Sep. 2025
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This can be distracting in smooth soups or sauces, but barely noticeable in more rustic dishes.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
2 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dismaying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dismaying. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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