DISMAYING Synonyms: 176 Similar and Opposite Words

dismaying 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of dismaying

as in disconcerting

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dismaying

2 of 2

verb

present participle of dismay

as in discouraging

to lessen the courage or confidence of the imposing climb up the mountain dismayed us even before we got started

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in alarming

to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy parents who became increasingly dismayed by their son's foundering marriage

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of dismaying

Adjective

But there’s another side to this story, equally dismaying, which is the abandonment of dissidents as a public cause in the West. — Bret Stephens, Mercury News, 12 Feb. 2026 With little to no foil for this dismaying existence, however, Half His Age often succumbs to shock value in lieu of pushing beyond that which offends. — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 22 Jan. 2026

Verb

Thinking of my mother marooned in her house was dismaying to me. — Nicholas Dawidoff, New Yorker, 10 May 2026 That the Illini couldn’t complete their comeback attempt despite cutting it to four in the final minutes was dismaying. — Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dismaying

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dismaying

Adjective

The effect is especially disconcerting as this father and daughter navigate glad-handers and former Nazi collaborators in West Germany who are anxious to bury the past.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
Like Biden, in this cycle Lula found that a disconcerting number of his compatriots were unmoved by his calls to save democracy from those who would seek to undermine it—or didn’t buy into his rhetoric in the first place.

— Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of disconcerting

Verb

But flying less can raise operating costs per seat, while pushing prices higher risks discouraging travelers who have already absorbed steep increases.

— Reuters, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2026
At the risk of discouraging readers, this chapter’s protagonists will include cholecalciferol, ammonia, neonicotinoids, polyethylene, 17α-methyltestosterone, and diclofenac.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of discouraging

Verb

But the idea that fine adaptations of great books need to be stopping points, rather than springboards, is alarming by itself.

— Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
There are signs that the President is unravelling, in ways that are different from late-period Joe Biden but are alarming all the same.

— David Remnick, New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of alarming

Adjective

Perhaps the most disheartening part, though, was the fact that the Falcons offense had to operate on a silent count at home.

— Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 19 Oct. 2026
One of the more disheartening developments for the Eagles has been their complete inability to generate productive drives upon returning from halftime.

— Andy Behrens, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of disheartening

Verb

But Algo’s hyper-logical, computerised process of consistently picking the favourites to win was undone in the second match of the day, with Ghana frustrating England in a 0-0 draw.

— The Athletic Soccer Experts, New York Times, 24 June 2026
The documentary’s contradiction is right there, enthralling us with the wild achievements Potter pulled off and frustrating us with his bombast, leading us to ponder whether, as The Dark Wizard suggests, either could exist without the other.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 7 May 2026

Definition of frustrating

Verb

How the storm drain will be repaired Rather than digging up the entire pipe and disturbing residents’ yards, crews plan to install a new lining inside the existing pipe.

— Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2026
On vehicles with a dedicated secondary passenger display, front passengers can browse, view lyrics, and watch video content without disturbing the driver.

— Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of disturbing

Adjective

One particularly troubling example comes from the Justice Department's case against Epsilon Data Management.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2026
From a troubling police restraint death in Elk Grove to a new food literacy TV show, Sacramento made plenty of headlines recently.

— Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of troubling

Verb

Ready to take on Halloween, Thanksgiving, and a December full of holiday parties without worrying if your wardrobe will still fit in 2027?

— Patricia Neligan, AJC.com, 21 Oct. 2026
Another theory is that with the fall harvest nearly complete, now is a relatively safe time to deport farmworkers in the countryside without immediately worrying about empty shelves in supermarkets, Mejia said.

— Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of worrying

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“Dismaying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dismaying. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of dismaying

adjective

verb

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