dismays

verb

present tense third-person singular of dismay
1
as in discourages
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 disturbs
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

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 dismays This exploration of the American grasslands – from soil, water, and insects to farmers, plows, and buffalo – dismays, yes, but also invigorates. — Monitor Staff, Christian Science Monitor, 22 May 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dismays
  1. discourages
  2. disturbs
  3. frustrates
  4. bothers
  5. distracts
  6. concerns
  7. worries
  8. alarms
Verb
  • By focusing on the answers, Tao says, AI discourages mathematicians from working on alternative approaches that might arrive at the same solution.
    — Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2026
  • After that, the Chicago Park District strongly discourages swimming, as no lifeguards will be on duty.
    — Darius Johnson, CBS News, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of discourages
Verb
  • That disturbs Masters, an auto mechanic who moved out of the mobile home park before the 2021 floods.
    — Ren Larson, ProPublica, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Traffic between somebody else's router and somebody else's laptop, say in a random coffee shop or an airport, can provide the radio field that your body disturbs to create your specific signature.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of disturbs
Verb
  • While fragmentation frustrates people juggling multiple services, streamers see value in picking up even a few games, as sports fans have shown a tendency to keep subscribing after the final whistle.
    — Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The nation’s paperwork regime frustrates every resident, and particularly lower-income residents who use more government programs and interact more frequently with public officials.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of frustrates
Verb
  • That sequencing bothers people who’ve spent careers being told that data systems need privacy protections designed in, not bolted on after a scandal.
    — Karl W. Bickel, Baltimore Sun, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Kurt's key takeaways What bothers me most about this scam is that criminals are going after people who may have the fewest options to protect themselves.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of bothers
Verb
  • Often, undercapitalization is a major challenge for new franchisees and distracts from operations.
    — Angelo Chavez, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Scientists now are spending an increasing amount of time worrying about keeping the lights on and people employed, which ultimately distracts from time spent doing research.
    — Abdullah Shihipar, STAT, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of distracts
Verb
  • The film concerns a bus full of French high-school seniors on a trip to Pompeii, where the long gaze of history meets their hormonal entanglements and a bunch of Freudian desire.
    — Joe Reid, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Much of it concerns Landau’s relationship with eventual wife Nora, played by actress and TV presenter Radmila Schegoleva.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, IndieWire, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of concerns
Verb
  • Ortega worries about what happens to the children left behind.
    — Laura Rodríguez Presa, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026
  • While her family loves the sport, the Baldwin City resident often worries about her kids playing in high temperatures.
    — Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of worries
Verb
  • That prospect alarms those in Europe, who fear FIFA could increasingly challenge their competitions for space on an already overcrowded calendar.
    — Clemente Lisi, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • He becomes increasingly consumed by the otherworldly dimension, which alarms his therapist, Mary (Renate Reinsve).
    — Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 30 May 2026
Definition of alarms

Browse Nearby Words

dismaying
dismays
dismember
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Cite this Entry

“Dismays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dismays. Accessed 14 Sep. 2026.

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