dismay
dismay — noun
1. the sad, upset feeling you have when something you hoped for or expected does no
the sad, upset feeling you have when something you hoped for or expected does not happen
Niran could not hide his dismay when he learned the school trip was cancelled.
To the students' dismay, the concert was cancelled just hours before it began.
to + possessive + dismay (fronted prepositional phrase)
Charlotte stared at the scattered pieces of the broken vase in utter dismay.
Felix read the rejection letter with growing dismay, shaking his head slowly.
Letters of dismay poured into the newspaper office after the factory was shut down.
- disappointment
more general; describes the feeling when hopes are not met, without the upset or sadness implied by dismay
- distress
stronger; implies physical or emotional suffering beyond simple disappointment
- letdown
informal; refers more to the disappointing event than to the emotional reaction itself
- delight
a feeling of great pleasure or satisfaction
- satisfaction
contentment from having needs or expectations met
文法句型
uncountable noun
in dismay
to + possessive + dismay
常見錯誤
2. the sudden fear or loss of confidence that comes when you realize you are in dan
the sudden fear or loss of confidence that comes when you realize you are in danger or face something threatening
The villagers watched in dismay as the flood waters rose past the sandbags.
watch in dismay (verb + prepositional phrase)
Iker felt a wave of dismay at the sight of armed guards near the building.
The hikers were filled with dismay when they lost the trail in the thick fog.
Hamza's voice was full of dismay as he described the fire spreading through the forest.
To her dismay, Nia found that the bridge had been washed away by the storm.
- alarm
focuses on the sudden fright or worry triggered by danger, often less intense than dismay
- dread
a deep, ongoing fear of something that might happen, rather than a sudden reaction
- apprehension
milder; anxious worry about a future event, without the element of immediate threat
- courage
the ability to face danger or difficulty without fear
- confidence
belief in your own ability to handle a situation
文法句型
uncountable noun
in dismay
用法筆記
Stronger and more urgent than the disappointment sense (noun/1). While sense 1 describes sadness over unfulfilled hopes, this sense describes fear and loss of courage in the face of immediate danger or threat.
dismay — verb
1. to upset or disappoint someone, especially when their hopes or expectations are
to upset or disappoint someone, especially when their hopes or expectations are not met
The election results dismayed millions of voters who had hoped for a different outcome.
Ishaan was dismayed to learn that his application for the scholarship had been turned down.
be dismayed + to-infinitive (passive pattern)
It dismayed the workers that the company closed down without any warning.
Parents were dismayed by the school's sudden decision to cut the music programme.
What dismayed Joshua most was how quickly the management let loyal employees go.
- upset
broader and more common; can describe any emotional disturbance, not just disappointment
- dishearten
more specific; means to make someone lose hope or confidence
- discourage
focuses on lowering someone's confidence or willingness to continue
文法句型
dismay + noun phrase
be dismayed + to-infinitive
be dismayed + that-clause
it dismayed + noun phrase + that-clause
用法筆記
Frequently passive. The passive form (be dismayed by/at/to) is much more common than the active. The active is typically used with events or situations as the subject, not people.