dismaying

adjective

dis·​may·​ing dis-ˈmā-iŋ 

diz-

: causing feelings of alarmed concern or agitation

heard some dismaying news

… at a time when Hollywood was quietly panicking over dismaying financial statistics.

—Robert F. Moss

It is somewhat dismaying to see how far Mr. Jennings often goes in his zeal …

—Ronald Sanders

dismayingly

dis-ˈmā-iŋ-lē 

diz-

adverb

a dismayingly long list of problems

This is a place where achieving any sort of closure on important national traumas … has proved dismayingly elusive.

—Max Rodenbeck

Examples of dismaying in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Americans, and a dismaying number of politicians, keep crying for a crackdown on crimes that aren’t happening. —F.k. Plous, Chicago Tribune, 8 Jan. 2025

The late President’s priorities were remarkably prescient, and his personal qualities offered a dismaying contrast to so much of the present state of American politics. —Erin Neil, The New Yorker, 30 Dec. 2024

What’s dismaying is this was yet another opportunity for the Bears to close out a game — in this instance, Williams could have ended things with a 99-yard touchdown drive — and be celebrating a massive performance by the rookie. —Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 29 Nov. 2024

The math suggests a dismaying possibility: these votes may very well swing. —Yiyun Li, Harper's Magazine, 23 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1582, in the meaning defined above