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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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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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

At its core, Vargas said, the gym is meant to be a place where men can step away from life’s stressors and support one another — in a world that often discourages men from opening up.

— Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 17 Sep. 2026
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

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

One thing that Davidson said frustrates him about social media is people who aren’t personally connected to the tragedy often use it as a meme.

— Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 11 Sep. 2026
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

Definition of frustrates

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

Aero Plantation’s roads are privately owned and maintained by the neighborhood, a distinction residents cited in explaining why outside traffic concerns them.

— Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 17 Sep. 2026
Florida counsel must analyze how that threshold operates when the allegation concerns injury severity rather than collision causation, under the statute and the controlling seat belt decisions.

— Kaitlyn Gomez, Miami Herald, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of concerns

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 21 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of dismays

verb

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