DISMAYS Synonyms: 144 Similar and Opposite Words

dismays

verb

present tense third-person singular of dismay

as in discourages

to lessen the courage or confidence of the imposing climb up the mountain dismayed us even before we got started

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in disturbs

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

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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

Verb

Arizona’s suit said the chatbot pushes teens to share personal information and at times discourages them from telling parents, authorities or friends.

— Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2026
But others support the changes, saying the more car-centric configuration discourages pedestrians and cyclists while making traffic more dangerous.

— Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of discourages

Verb

Some of the sightings claim a man wearing clothing typical of the 17th or 18th centuries, a man dressed in Confederate attire in the liquor room, a ghost of a former worker Joseph Hardesty and a female who actively disturbs visitors to her home.

— Kaitlyn Keegan, Hartford Courant, 25 Sep. 2026
Vibration disturbs the natural sediments in wine, flattening the flavor and aging it prematurely.

— Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of disturbs

Verb

This frustrates Americans, who tend to seek simple, quick, and permanent fixes to foreign policy problems.

— S. C. M. Paine, Foreign Affairs, 3 Nov. 2026
What frustrates him most is the reflexive apology that typically accompanies the accessibility gap instead, often getting in the way of real problem-solving.

— Maribeth Romslo, Rolling Stone, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of frustrates

Verb

The film was produced by the Zagha bothers for Avanti Pictures alongside Elsa Reyes and Películas V’s Valentín Javier Diment and Vanesa Pagani.

— Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2026
Television doesn’t lack for comedies that deliver biting satire and cogent commentary — that are, in fact, so committed to commentary that nobody bothers to even include jokes.

— Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of bothers

Verb

Theranos whistleblower Tyler Shultz and Bad Blood author John Carreyrou have both weighed in, and Fortune has questioned whether her new persona distracts from the real story.

— Bilin Lin, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2026
Similarly, Sudan hopes that internal conflict in Ethiopia distracts Addis from its support of the rapid support forces militia in Sudan’s war.

— Paul Tilsley, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of distracts

Verb

The case concerns the Israeli military’s bombing of a residential building in Beirut on November 26, 2024, just a few hours before a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah was due to come into effect.

— Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 3 Nov. 2026
What concerns me is the gap that can open between enterprises with access to the same technology.

— Todd Bernson, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of concerns

Verb

Abdi worries that Miller’s latest promotion will further anti-immigrant policies, which have long painted Iranians and other immigrant communities as threats.

— Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2026
Comen understands the desire for answers but worries that interpreting complex medical information without a physician’s guidance can heighten fear.

— Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 6 Nov. 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

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dismaying

dismays

dismember

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“Dismays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dismays. Accessed 9 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of dismays

verb

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