dismay 1 of 2

dismay

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verb

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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb dismay contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of dismay are appall, daunt, and horrify. While all these words mean "to unnerve or deter by arousing fear, apprehension, or aversion," dismay implies that one is disconcerted and at a loss as to how to deal with something.

dismayed at the size of the job

When would appall be a good substitute for dismay?

While the synonyms appall and dismay are close in meaning, appall implies that one is faced with that which perturbs, confounds, or shocks.

I am appalled by your behavior

In what contexts can daunt take the place of dismay?

In some situations, the words daunt and dismay are roughly equivalent. However, daunt suggests a cowing, disheartening, or frightening in a venture requiring courage.

a cliff that would daunt the most intrepid climber

Where would horrify be a reasonable alternative to dismay?

The words horrify and dismay can be used in similar contexts, but horrify stresses a reaction of horror or revulsion.

was horrified by such wanton cruelty

Examples of dismay in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
And, to his dismay, Bud does not know how to dance! Marc Berman, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024 To the dismay of mainstream public health experts, Florida’s controversial health department — in opposition to federal guidance — advised against getting mRNA COVID vaccines. Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2024
Verb
Reclaiming Conversation is full of dismaying examples of this diminishment, drawn from countless interviews with teenagers and young adults, teachers, corporate executives, and families. Chelsea Leu, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2024 The following year’s report focusing on the success of women artists presented similarly dismaying results. News Desk, Artforum, 14 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for dismay 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dismay.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Thesaurus Entries Near dismay

Cite this Entry

“Dismay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dismay. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on dismay

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