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Definition of dismay noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

dismay

noun
 
/dɪsˈmeɪ/
 
/dɪsˈmeɪ/
[uncountable]
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  1. a worried, sad feeling after you have received an unpleasant surprise
    • dismay at something She could not hide her dismay at the result.
    • in dismay He looked at her in dismay.
    • with dismay I read of her resignation with some dismay.
    • The news has been greeted with dismay by local business leaders.
    • to somebody's dismay To her dismay, her name was not on the list.
    Extra Examples
    • It was impossible to hide my dismay at what I had seen.
    • The government has expressed ‘deep dismay’ at police violence against protesters.
    • I felt a mounting dismay at the prospect.
    • his dismay at her reaction
    • Louise stared at the torn letter in dismay.
    • Much to my dismay, she was out when I called.
    • Imagine my dismay when I saw his picture in the paper.
    • The news was greeted with widespread dismay.
    • The laws on hunting cause dismay to many animal lovers.
    • What she heard filled her with dismay.
    • I felt a jolt of dismay.
    Topics Feelingsc2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • deep
    • great
    • utter
    verb + dismay
    • feel
    • express
    • voice
    preposition
    • in dismay
    • with dismay
    • dismay at
    phrases
    • fill somebody with dismay
    • (you can) imagine my dismay
    • (much) to somebody’s dismay
    See full entry
    Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French, based on Latin dis- (expressing negation) + the Germanic base of the verb may.
See dismay in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

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