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
  • The textbook objection is that capping rents distorts markets and discourages construction.
    — Anisha Steephen, Time, 21 July 2026
  • Third-party and off-brand replacement batteries are also available on Amazon and other retailers, but iRobot discourages their use, and your Roomba might not recognize them if they’re installed.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 20 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
  • 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
  • What frustrates me is when the CTA isn’t there.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 9 June 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 evidence primarily concerns coffee consumed in customary amounts (8-10 ounces).
    — Robert Glatter, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
  • The main point of divergence between the National Assembly and the Senate concerns the scope of the platforms to be banned.
    — Samuel Petrequin, Fortune, 20 July 2026
Definition of concerns
Verb
  • The germ Eickhorst worries about most is molluscum contagiosum, a common childhood skin virus.
    — Angela Haupt, Time, 20 July 2026
  • Sabath similarly worries we’re actively being trained to lack the patience and ability to take action during hard times.
    — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 20 July 2026
Definition of worries
Verb
  • He becomes increasingly consumed by the otherworldly dimension, which alarms his therapist, Mary (Renate Reinsve).
    — Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 30 May 2026
  • The focal point of escalating concern is oldest son Jeremy (Edik Beddoes) whose increasingly erratic behavior alarms those around him, not only for his safety but others as well.
    — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 7 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 26 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of dismays for Spanish Speakers

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