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
  • This discourages foraging wasps and yellowjackets from being attracted to these areas, says Gordon.
    — Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 29 July 2026
  • Another person may rarely drink because their culture discourages alcohol altogether.
    — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 28 July 2026
Definition of discourages
Verb
  • Tilling or plowing in the summer disturbs the soil's delicate ecosystem and exposes moist soil to rapid water loss.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 24 June 2026
  • The pier in Michigan City’s Washington Park disturbs the natural flow of sand along the lakeshore, creating new land east of the pier but starving beaches to the west, an erosion problem repeated by other manmade structures that jut out into Lake Michigan.
    — Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2026
Definition of disturbs
Verb
  • But what most frustrates her is that Calder’s portrayal of Millennial ennui and directionlessness takes those qualities at face value and, in doing so, replicates them.
    — Emma Sarappo, The Atlantic, 24 July 2026
  • Fallback that requires manual intervention or user choice introduces friction that frustrates legitimate users and can be socially engineered by bad actors.
    — Gegham Azatyan, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of frustrates
Verb
  • Refresh the space that bothers you most before making bigger visibility decisions.
    — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 20 July 2026
  • If that bothers you, then a significant projection for Bo Nix’s season will make your skin crawl.
    — Troy Renck, Denver Post, 6 July 2026
Definition of bothers
Verb
  • This cultural debate distracts from systemic policy failures and the high cost of raising children, which makes motherhood an economic battleground.
    — Julia Korn, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
  • Mother’s explosion distracts Blaine and frees Sam.
    — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 22 May 2026
Definition of distracts
Verb
  • The study incorporates data from 2021 through 2024, and mostly concerns 2023 model-year vehicles.
    — Adam Ismail, The Drive, 30 July 2026
  • According to the complaint, Grigsby attempted to tell Martinez that concerns about a defense attorney’s performance should be directed to supervisors rather than discussed in open court.
    — Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 29 July 2026
Definition of concerns
Verb
  • Bryant worries his neighbors simply got caught up in the wrong situation.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 July 2026
  • Any arrangement where schools pay male athletes all or most of the money could raise Title IX, Title VII and Equal Pay Act worries.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 27 July 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 3 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on dismays

Nglish: Translation of dismays for Spanish Speakers

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