dismay
Americanverb (used with object)
-
dismays,
present (3rd person singular)
-
dismayed,
past participle, past
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dismaying
present participle
-
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
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are dismayingprogressive
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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.
See Examples For:
Their younger brother, Tillotson, meanwhile, incites mayhem among local churchgoers by impersonating an angel, much to his sisters’ dismay.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
The United Nations said Wednesday the 1.5C target would be missed and outlined how global temperatures might be brought back down in a first-of-its-kind assessment met with dismay in climate-vulnernable nations.
From Barron's ● Sep. 2, 2026
Meanwhile, those at the back of the “Clubhouse” tier danced freely in yards of open space, twirling, to the dismay of the onlooking VIP crowd.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf said he received the news "with dismay and sadness".
From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026
Farmer, Kim, andBayona collected a number of official WHO statements and read them with dismay.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
Yet the world's inability to fund more Mosquirix shots dismays many in Africa.
From Reuters ● Jul. 13, 2022
Charlie dismays at his sister, Sally, saying all she wants “is my fair share,” and at Linus’ sister, Lucy, complaining about her gifts while what she really wants is real estate.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 19, 2020
She keeps hoping she’ll find her way into a Buchan or Childers narrative, but just when the action picks up, reality disappoints and ultimately dismays her.
From Slate ● Sep. 25, 2018
“It dismays me that this is a part of the political process,” he said.
From Washington Post ● Dec. 31, 2016
From the little he knows about Russian writers, it dismays him that his parents chose the weirdest namesake.
From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri
But her hedging has dismayed some former campaign staffers and supporters.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026
Earlier this week, PGA Tour chief executive Brian Rolapp said the circuit was dismayed by the advert, describing Good Good's initial handling of the controversy as "disappointing."
From Barron's ● Aug. 27, 2026
Beijing was initially dismayed by the coup that triggered chaos on its doorstep, analysts said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 10, 2026
The father of a teenager who took her own life after viewing harmful content online has said he is "dismayed" by reports the government is to ban young people from using some social media platforms.
From BBC ● Jun. 13, 2026
I submerged the sponge in the basin to hide my trembling, dismayed by the depths of my rage.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
Since Shakespeare’s verse for the young lovers is among his most rhapsodic and hypnotically beautiful, the choice is dismaying.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
The co-owner of the Swiss bar hit by a deadly fire during New Year celebrations was released from custody on Friday after bail was paid on his behalf, dismaying victims' families.
From Barron's ● Jan. 23, 2026
Within that sphere we’re treated to a voice performance by Woods that is a small, hilarious, somewhat dismaying tour de force.
From New York Times ● Jan. 24, 2024
Maybe the most dismaying thing about it is that nobody could say why.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 7, 2023
The discovery that we are, as one investigator phrased it, living in a “sea of carcinogens” is of course dismaying and may easily lead to reactions of despair and defeatism.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
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.
