dismayed; dismaying
1
: to cause to lose courage or resolution (as because of alarm or fear)
must not let ourselves be dismayed by the task before us
1
: sudden loss of courage or resolution from alarm or fear
watched with dismay as flames engulfed their home
2
a
: sudden disappointment
announced her retirement, much to the dismay of her fans
b
: perturbation sense 1
expressed dismay at his strange behavior
Examples of dismay in a Sentence
Verb
Her choice of career dismays her parents.
the imposing climb up the mountain dismayed us even before we got started
Noun
His comments were met with cries of dismay.
They watched in dismay as the house burned.
Much to the dismay of her fans, she announced her retirement immediately after the book's release.
To my dismay, I did not get chosen for the job.
We listened with dismay to the news of the accident.
Recent Examples on the Web
Sheryl Gay Stolberg, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2025
While some enjoyed the New Orleans vibe, others were dismayed that a basketball player could garner so much hype with their track.
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 7 Mar. 2025
Timothy Nerozzi, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 28 Feb. 2025
The raid at the Copa Club was greeted with dismay online.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dismay
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Verb
Editors’ Picks Your Questions About Fentanyl, Answered Some federal officials who oversee grants said they were particularly dismayed by a question asking grantees to disavow associations with communist entities.
—Sheryl Gay Stolberg, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2025
While some enjoyed the New Orleans vibe, others were dismayed that a basketball player could garner so much hype with their track.
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 7 Mar. 2025
Noun
Gone, too, is the Latin Mass revival, which, to the dismay of many Catholics around the world, Francis quashed via a motu proprio in 2021.
—Timothy Nerozzi, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 28 Feb. 2025
The raid at the Copa Club was greeted with dismay online.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dismay
Cite this Entry
“Dismay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dismay. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dismay
1 of 2 verb
dis·may
dis-ˈmā 
diz-
1
: to cause to lose courage or to feel concern : daunt
dismayed by their opponent's size
2
: upset entry 1 sense 2a, perturb
dismayed by the poor turnout
dismay
2 of 2 noun1
: loss of courage or determination from alarm or fear
2
: a feeling of alarm or disappointment
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