I was very dismayed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "I was very dismayed" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to express a strong feeling of disappointment or distress about a situation or event that has occurred. Example: "When I heard the news about the cancellation of the event, I was very dismayed."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

I was very dismayed, unsettled".

Los Angeles Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

"I am very dismayed that they exonerated him," said Abdul-Baki Todashev.

The Guardian

"I am very dismayed, as a longstanding member of the synagogue, that the rabbis and the board would take a position that is contrary to what many members believe, contrary to the peace process," she added.

The New York Times

Kinte was very dismayed and called down evil upon Gotokai.

Vice

He admitted that he was very "dismayed" by the criticism he received after announcing that he would go.

Huffington Post

Most people I think would be very dismayed by this type of vandalism, no matter who they support for the election".

Los Angeles Times

Mr Baker said he had been "very dismayed" by the tone of last week's Tory conference, accusing the party of moving to the right because of Ukip's popularity.

Independent

On the night of the tragedy, Samarco's CEO Ricardo Vescovi released a video on Facebook saying: "We are very dismayed by what happened but we are absolutely mobilised to contain the damages caused by this tragic accident".

The Guardian

Speaking to the Guardian, Tveit said that far from working to delegitimise Israel, the WCC had recognised Israeli statehood in 1948, regarded "antisemitism as a sin" and had no connection to BDS. "I am very surprised and dismayed that the Israeli ministry of interior is apparently basing its decisions on incorrect and unreliable sources".

The Guardian

I am very disappointed and dismayed that Chalabi's goodwill mediation in Spring 2008 in which I participated between the Shia militants, the Iraqi Government and the US led Coalition would be tuned into a conspiracy against us.

Huffington Post

At a time when I am often ashamed of the actions of my government and dismayed by its disregard of the Constitution when it suits its purpose, let me say that I am very proud of The Times and Judith Miller.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "I was very dismayed" when you want to express a strong feeling of disappointment or distress in response to a specific event or situation. It's suitable for expressing personal reactions in both formal and informal contexts.

Common error

While "I was very dismayed" is generally acceptable, avoid using it excessively in highly formal or academic writing. Consider stronger or more nuanced alternatives like "I found it deeply concerning" or "I was profoundly disappointed" for a more impactful tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "I was very dismayed" primarily functions as a statement expressing a personal feeling of disappointment or distress. As shown in the Ludwig examples, the phrase typically follows a situation or event that caused this emotional reaction. Ludwig AI confirms it's correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "I was very dismayed" is a phrase used to express a strong feeling of disappointment or distress. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability. It appears frequently in news and media, suggesting a neutral register suitable for expressing personal reactions in professional contexts. While acceptable in most situations, consider more nuanced alternatives in highly formal writing. The phrase effectively conveys personal disappointment or discouragement in response to specific events or news.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

I was extremely disappointed

Uses "extremely" instead of "very" to intensify the feeling of disappointment.

I felt greatly disappointed

Replaces "very dismayed" with a more formal and slightly stronger expression of disappointment.

I was shocked and disappointed

Adds the element of surprise or disbelief to the feeling of dismay.

I was deeply saddened

Shifts the focus to sadness as the primary emotion, rather than dismay.

I found it very upsetting

Shifts the focus to the thing or situation causing the distress, rather than the speaker's emotional state.

I was really upset

Employs a more informal term, "upset", to convey a similar feeling of distress.

I was very disturbed by that

Emphasizes the disturbance caused by an event.

I was quite disturbed

Indicates a feeling of being unsettled or bothered by something.

I was taken aback

Highlights the unexpectedness of the situation and the resulting surprise and dismay.

I didn't expect that

Expresses surprise and disappointment without directly stating the feeling of dismay.

FAQs

What does "I was very dismayed" mean?

The phrase "I was very dismayed" expresses a strong feeling of disappointment, discouragement, or distress caused by something unexpected or unpleasant.

What can I say instead of "I was very dismayed"?

You can use alternatives like "I felt greatly disappointed", "I was extremely disappointed", or "I was deeply saddened" depending on the specific emotion you want to convey.

Is it appropriate to use "I was very dismayed" in formal writing?

While acceptable, in highly formal contexts, consider more nuanced alternatives like "I found it deeply concerning" to convey a stronger or more precise sentiment.

How does "I was very dismayed" differ from "I was slightly disappointed"?

"I was very dismayed" indicates a much stronger negative reaction than "I was slightly disappointed". "Dismayed" implies a significant level of distress or discouragement, whereas "slightly disappointed" suggests a milder feeling.