dismay
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to break down the courage of completely, as by sudden danger or trouble; dishearten thoroughly; daunt.
The surprise attack dismayed the enemy.
- Synonyms:
- intimidate, scare, frighten, terrify, appall
- Antonyms:
- hearten
-
to surprise in such a manner as to disillusion.
She was dismayed to learn of their disloyalty.
-
to alarm; perturb.
The new law dismayed some of the more conservative politicians.
noun
-
sudden or complete loss of courage; utter disheartenment.
- Synonyms:
- fear, horror, panic, terror, consternation, disconcert
- Antonyms:
- confidence
-
sudden disillusionment.
-
agitation of mind; perturbation; alarm.
verb
-
to fill with apprehension or alarm
-
to fill with depression or discouragement
noun
Synonym Usage
See discourage.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
dismaysimple
-
dismayssimple
-
have dismayedperfect
-
has dismayedperfect
-
am dismayingprogressive
-
are dismayingprogressive
-
is dismayingprogressive
-
have been dismayingperfect progressive
-
has been dismayingperfect progressive
Past
-
dismayedsimple
-
had dismayedperfect
-
was dismayingprogressive
-
were dismayingprogressive
-
had been dismayingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of dismay
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English desmay (noun), de(s)mayen, dismayen (verb), from presumed Anglo-French alteration, by prefix change, of Old French esmaier “to trouble, frighten,” from unattested Vulgar Latin exmagāre “to disable, deprive of strength,” equivalent to ex- ex- 1 + unattested magāre, from unattested Germanic magan “to be able to”; see may 1
Explanation
If you discover late Sunday night that the dog really did eat your homework, you might cry out in dismay. Dismay describes an emotional state of alarm, fear, or serious disappointment. The first part of dismay comes from the Latin prefix dis-, which comes in handy when you want to put a negative spin on words (dishonest, discount, disenchant, etc.). The last bit of dismay most likely comes from the Germanic word magan, meaning "to be able to." You can employ the word dismay to describe how you feel in a variety of negative situations that you doubt you are able to handle.
Vocabulary lists containing dismay
The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 2
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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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Christmas Carol Vocab: A Lyrical Lexicon
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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.
Iran voiced "dismay" over Qatar's accusations in a statement carried by state news agency IRNA, calling the claims "unacceptable."
From Barron's • Jul. 7, 2026
Another season, outfielder Craig Simon, knowing he was weak at the plate, intentionally struck out so he could avoid an impending double play, much to the dismay of the opposing team.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 26, 2026
Your own shock and Burack’s dismay are shared by others, it appears.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 24, 2026
But it was excluded from the negotiation on the memorandum of understanding and is viewing the deal with dismay.
From BBC • Jun. 15, 2026
We may be tempted to control it, or douse it with buckets of doubt, dismay, and disbelief.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
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.
