dismay
A shocked, worried feeling when something unpleasant happens.
dismay in a sentence
- To her dismay, Ruby realised she had left her homework on the bus.
- The baker stared in dismay at the flat, sunken cake he had spent all morning making.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to dismay?
- Ajoy
- Bshock
- Crelief
- Ddelight
Show the answer
B: shock. The other three mean the opposite of dismay.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to dismay?
- Ashock
- Balarm
- Crelief
- Dworry
Show the answer
C: relief. The other three mean nearly the same as dismay.
Words that mean something similar
shock, alarm, worry
Words that mean the opposite
relief, delight, joy
More words about emotions & feelings
- distraught: So upset and worried that you can hardly think.
- distress: Great worry, sadness or pain.
- downcast: Sad and low, often looking at the ground.
- dread: A strong fear of something that is going to happen.
- dumbfounded: So amazed that you cannot speak.
- eager: Very keen and excited to do something.
- ecstatic: So happy that you can hardly contain it.
- elated: Extremely happy and excited.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test