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.

Distraught vs Dismay - What's the difference?

distraught | dismay |

As an adjective distraught

is deeply hurt, saddened, or worried; distressed.

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.

As a verb 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.

distraught

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Deeply hurt, saddened, or worried; distressed.
    • His distraught widow cried for days, feeling very alone.

    Derived terms

    * distraughtly * distraughtness

    Synonyms

    * distressed * pained

    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,