From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishdismaydis‧may1 /dɪsˈmeɪ/ ●○○ noun [uncountable] WORRIEDthe worry, disappointment, or unhappiness you feel when something unpleasant happenswith/in dismay They stared at each other in dismay.to somebody’s dismay I found to my dismay that I had left my notes behind. The thought of leaving filled him with dismay.
Examples from the Corpus
dismay• Some of them express dismay, others celebrate, but all are astonished.• Round the table the faces expressed dismay, disbelief, doubt.• Perhaps Lucy would have melted weakly into his bony arms had not an expression of dismay and incredulity come over his face.• With a jolt of self-knowledge Caroline registered the same feeling of dismay as at that cool withdrawal after their picnic.• And of course the moments of dismay and indecision were moments lost.• And needs change overnight, as many executives and senior managers have found to their dismay in the past several years.• She opened the case and looked with dismay at the flimsy green silk nightdress lying on top of the matching gown.• Conscientious parents, and there were some, viewed the situation with dismay.with/in dismay• Left behind in the road the soldiers bunched in dismay, not one daring the same leap.• Leibniz watched these events with dismay.• Alvin shook his head in dismay at their performance, but the audience had loved their persevering spirit.• What is happening to me? she questioned herself in dismay.• Only then did he throw his arms out in dismay.• Tonight the Diocese of Oxford reacted with dismay.• Anyone could have typed that message and his initial, she realised with dismay.• Conscientious parents, and there were some, viewed the situation with dismay.dismaydismay2 verb [transitive] WORRIEDto make someone feel worried, disappointed, and upset The poor election turnout dismayed politicians.→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
dismay• When I was sufficiently unbundled to have a look around, though, I was instantly dismayed.• With others he was dismayed by its stringent terms.• He was dismayed by the change in his old friend and could see the darkness in his soul warring with the light.• Also, I am dismayed by the polemics of some on the left.• Leonie hurried to greet them, surprised and dismayed by their return.• Long fasts did not dismay her.• The President's policies have dismayed some conservative groups.Origin dismay2 (1300-1400) Old French desmaiier 