What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Dismay vs Abash - What's the difference?

dismay | abash | Related terms |

As verbs the difference between dismay and abash

is that dismay is to disable with alarm or apprehensions; to depress the spirits or courage of; to deprive of firmness and energy through fear; to daunt; to appall; to terrify while abash is to make ashamed; to embarrass; to destroy the self-possession of, as by exciting suddenly a consciousness of guilt, mistake, or inferiority; to disconcert; to discomfit.

As a noun dismay

is a sudden or complete loss of courage and firmness in the face of trouble or danger; overwhelming and disabling terror; a sinking of the spirits; consternation.

dismay

English

Noun

(-)
  • A sudden or complete loss of courage and firmness in the face of trouble or danger; overwhelming and disabling terror; a sinking of the spirits; consternation.
  • Condition fitted to dismay; ruin.

    • Verb

    (en verb)
  • To disable with alarm or apprehensions; to depress the spirits or courage of; to deprive of firmness and energy through fear; to daunt; to appall; to terrify.
  • * Bible, Josh. i. 9
    • Be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed .
  • * Fairfax
    • What words be these? What fears do you dismay ?
  • To render lifeless; to subdue; to disquiet.
  • * Spenser
    • Do not dismay yourself for this.
  • To take dismay or fright; to be filled with dismay.
  • * 1592 , , III. iii. 1:
    • Dismay not, princes, at this accident,

    abash

    English

    Verb

    (es)
  • To make ashamed; to embarrass; to destroy the self-possession of, as by exciting suddenly a consciousness of guilt, mistake, or inferiority; to disconcert; to discomfit.
    • "He was a man whom no check could abash ." – .
  • (obsolete) To lose self-possession; to become ashamed.

    • Usage notes

    * Of abash, confuse, confound: Abash' is a stronger word than '''confuse''', but not so strong as ' confound . ** We are abashed'' when struck either with sudden shame or with a humbling sense of inferiority; as, Peter was ''abashed'' by the look of his Master. So a modest youth is ''abashed in the presence of those who are greatly his superiors. ** We are confused'' when, from some unexpected or startling occurrence, we lose clearness of thought and self-possession. Thus, a witness is often ''confused'' by a severe cross-examination; a timid person is apt to be ''confused in entering a room full of strangers. ** We are confounded'' when our minds are overwhelmed, as it were, by something wholly unexpected, amazing, dreadful, etc., so that we have nothing to say. Thus, a criminal is usually ''confounded at the discovery of his guilt. *::* Satan stood Awhile as mute, confounded what to say. – John Milton

    Synonyms

    * confuse * confound * disconcert * shame * humiliate * embarrass * See also

    Antonyms

    * embolden * reassure

    Derived terms

    * abashed * abashedly * abashedness * abashless * abashment

    Anagrams

    * *

    References