dissatisfied

American  

[dis-sat-is-fahyd] / dɪsˈsæt ɪsˌfaɪd /

adjective

1. not satisfied or pleased; discontented.

2. showing dissatisfaction.

   a dissatisfied look.

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dissatisfied British  

/ dɪsˈsætɪsˌfaɪd /

adjective

1. having or showing dissatisfaction; discontented

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Other Word Forms

• dissatisfiedly
  adverb
• dissatisfiedness
  noun
• self-dissatisfied
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of dissatisfied

First recorded in 1665–75; dissatisfy + -ed ²

Explanation

If you're dissatisfied, you're not happy — you're annoyed and disgruntled. You probably don't enjoy eating out with your parents if they're always dissatisfied with the food they order. You might be dissatisfied with the final episode of your favorite TV show, or dissatisfied with your grades n German last semester. In either case, you're not pleased. A slightly different way to be dissatisfied is to be unconvinced: "She was dissatisfied with the answer he gave when she asked when he planned to pay back the money he owed her." Dissatisfied combines dis-, "not," and satisfied, from a Latin root, satisfacere, "do enough."

Example Sentences

The public has been dissatisfied for the past 20 years.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

The trust said it recognises some families remain dissatisfied and it takes feedback seriously.

From BBC • Mar. 19, 2026

The announcement comes as polling shows Americans are dissatisfied with the economy and concerned about the cost of living.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 24, 2026

“It is like smelling bad, spoiled salsa! Yuck!!” raved another dissatisfied customer.

From Salon • Dec. 10, 2025

So she was dissatisfied with her trip and unconvinced of the emergency, and every line of her plain, middle-aged face showed it clearly enough during her first dinner at Hyper Base.

From "I, Robot" by Isaac Asimov

Related Words

• discontented