Dismay: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Dismay noun. Shock and distress at something unexpected and unwelcome.
How to say it
dis-MAY/dɪsˈmeɪ/
2 syllables, stressed on the second (MAY).
Dismay in a sentence
To our dismay, the café we’d crossed town for had closed for good.
She read the final bill with growing dismay.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- alarm
- consternation
- distress
- horror
Opposite:
- relief
- delight
Where dismay comes from
From Old French desmaier, to lose heart or be robbed of one’s strength.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
She read the final bill with growing _____.
- felicity
- solace
- dismay
Show the answer
dismay: She read the final bill with growing dismay.