chagrin
Americannoun
verb (used with object)
-
to vex by disappointment or humiliation.
The rejection of his proposal chagrined him deeply.
-
Obsolete. shagreen.
noun
verb
Related Words
See shame.
Other Word Forms
- chagrined adjective
- unchagrined adjective
Etymology
Origin of chagrin
First recorded in 1650–60; from French; origin unknown
Explanation
Chagrin is a noun that represents an emotion or feeling and it's an uncomfortable one. If you feel chagrin, it means that you are embarrassed or distressed as a result of a failure. The word chagrin, a noun, comes from the French word of the same spelling and means "melancholy, anxiety, vexation." An odd fact about the word in English is that it had been thought to be related to another, similar-sounding word, shagreen, "rough, untanned leather." When one mistakes one word as a relative of another, it's called "false etymology."
Vocabulary lists containing chagrin
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
100 SAT words Beginning with "C"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
To the chagrin of professionals, many people lean on popular AI chatbots to help solve their medical mysteries, interpret labs and provide psychological therapy.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 27, 2025
The government has also been forced to cut certain subsidies to yeshivas, much to the chagrin of the ultra-Orthodox parties.
From Barron's • Nov. 29, 2025
Much to Beijing's chagrin, those running many such scam centres are often Chinese themselves.
From BBC • Nov. 8, 2025
“But I was deeply familiar with the play. And then through the process of preparing, probably much to Nia’s chagrin, I saw every production I could get my hands on.”
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 23, 2025
“Yeah. And much to my ever-loving chagrin, I am your tour guide.”
From "An Abundance of Katherines" by John Green
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
