chagrin

1 of 2

noun

cha·​grin shə-ˈgrin How to pronounce chagrin (audio)
 British usually  ˈsha-grin
: disquietude or distress of mind caused by humiliation, disappointment, or failure

chagrin

2 of 2

verb

chagrined shə-ˈgrind How to pronounce chagrin (audio)
 British usually  ˈsha-grind
; chagrining shə-ˈgri-niŋ How to pronounce chagrin (audio)
 British usually  ˈsha-gri-niŋ

transitive verb

: to vex or unsettle by disappointing or humiliating
he was chagrined to learn that his help was not needed

Did you know?

Chagrin comes from French, in which it means "grief," "sorrow," or essentially the same thing as English's chagrin, and in which it is also an adjective meaning "sad."

Examples of chagrin in a Sentence

Noun As many a woman has learned to her chagrin, pathological liars are brilliant at deception. Katha Pollitt, Nation, 16 June 2003
In World War I, to his chagrin, Eisenhower again found himself on the sidelines, performing training duties stateside while Pershing, MacArthur, and Patton earned their battle ribbons. U.S. News & World Report, 16 Mar. 1998
In 1628, to the chagrin of Governor William Bradford, the Pilgrims erected an 80-foot Maypole, danced around it, drank beer, and sang. E. C. Krupp, Sky & Telescope, May 1994
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
When Ohio tried to designate the sugar cookie as its official cookie, margarine partisans got mad about the inclusion of butter in the recipe; Kool-Aid, which was invented in the Cornhusker State, is its official state soft drink, much to the chagrin of Nebraska dentists. Casey Cep, The New Yorker, 28 Dec. 2024 Everybody loves Friends, much to the chagrin of Ray Romano. Jessica Wang, EW.com, 27 Dec. 2024
Verb
You might be chagrined to find that the details given are not especially revealing and you will be left to your intuition and hunches about what’s going on under the hood. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 16 Sep. 2024 Jenn introduces the driving instructor, Jesse (not Palmer), who is chagrined to learn that only one of the men — Aaron Erb — knows how to drive stick. Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 23 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for chagrin 

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

French, from chagrin sad

First Known Use

Noun

1661, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1733, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of chagrin was in 1661

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Dictionary Entries Near chagrin

Cite this Entry

“Chagrin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chagrin. Accessed 1 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

chagrin

1 of 2 noun
: a feeling of being annoyed by failure or disappointment

chagrin

2 of 2 verb
: to cause to feel chagrin
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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