dismays

verb

present tense third-person singular of dismay
1
as in discourages
to lessen the courage or confidence of the imposing climb up the mountain dismayed us even before we got started

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disturbs
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy parents who became increasingly dismayed by their son's foundering marriage

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 dismays This exploration of the American grasslands – from soil, water, and insects to farmers, plows, and buffalo – dismays, yes, but also invigorates. — Monitor Staff, Christian Science Monitor, 22 May 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dismays
  1. discourages
  2. disturbs
  3. frustrates
  4. bothers
  5. distracts
  6. concerns
  7. worries
  8. alarms
Verb
  • But others support the changes, saying the more car-centric configuration discourages pedestrians and cyclists while making traffic more dangerous.
    — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 22 Oct. 2026
  • In its lawsuit, Arizona said ChatGPT encourages teens to share personal information with it and, at times, discourages them from sharing that information with parents, authorities or friends.
    — Marc Levy, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of discourages
Verb
  • Some of the sightings claim a man wearing clothing typical of the 17th or 18th centuries, a man dressed in Confederate attire in the liquor room, a ghost of a former worker Joseph Hardesty and a female who actively disturbs visitors to her home.
    — Kaitlyn Keegan, Hartford Courant, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Vibration disturbs the natural sediments in wine, flattening the flavor and aging it prematurely.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of disturbs
Verb
  • If finding a parking space frustrates you, prospective residents may feel the same way.
    — Elie Rieder, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Maybe that is why this political language frustrates me so much.
    — Angelette C. Aviles, Baltimore Sun, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of frustrates
Verb
  • Television doesn’t lack for comedies that deliver biting satire and cogent commentary — that are, in fact, so committed to commentary that nobody bothers to even include jokes.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2026
  • When asked if this bothers him at all, Shaq launches into a story about his youth.
    — Marlow Stern, Variety, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of bothers
Verb
  • Theranos whistleblower Tyler Shultz and Bad Blood author John Carreyrou have both weighed in, and Fortune has questioned whether her new persona distracts from the real story.
    — Bilin Lin, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Similarly, Sudan hopes that internal conflict in Ethiopia distracts Addis from its support of the rapid support forces militia in Sudan’s war.
    — Paul Tilsley, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of distracts
Verb
  • Kurt's key takeaways What concerns me most is how much someone can learn about you without ever meeting you.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026
  • One such puzzle concerns the origin of uncertainty, chance and probability, which are so central to quantum mechanics.
    — Philipp Strasberg, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of concerns
Verb
  • Tehran fears that surrendering its maritime leverage first would invite fresh demands; Washington worries that easing pressure would reward coercion without securing lasting constraints on Iran’s nuclear program.
    — Ali Vaez, Time, 21 Oct. 2026
  • With construction expected deep into the night, Ping worries, the dust and vibrations will only worsen.
    — Curbed, Curbed, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of worries
Verb
  • That prospect alarms those in Europe, who fear FIFA could increasingly challenge their competitions for space on an already overcrowded calendar.
    — Clemente Lisi, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • He becomes increasingly consumed by the otherworldly dimension, which alarms his therapist, Mary (Renate Reinsve).
    — Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 30 May 2026
Definition of alarms

Browse Nearby Words

dismaying
dismays
dismember
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Cite this Entry

“Dismays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dismays. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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