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dismay

noun/dɪsˈmeɪ/

a feeling of shock or disillusionment

To her dismay, the concert was canceled at the last minute due to bad weather.

shockdisappointmentdistress
word origin — The word 'dismay' comes from the Middle English 'dismaien', which is derived from the Old French 'desmaier', meaning 'to lose courage'.

SAT Vocabulary Level 2 — Set 104

Set 104 of SAT Vocabulary Level 2 covers 5 words: dismay, friction, prognosis, devotee, complicity. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

  1. dismay · noun/dɪsˈmeɪ/

    a feeling of shock or disillusionment

    To her dismay, the concert was canceled at the last minute due to bad weather.

    Synonyms: shock, disappointment, distress

    Origin: The word 'dismay' comes from the Middle English 'dismaien', which is derived from the Old French 'desmaier', meaning 'to lose courage'.

  2. friction · noun/ˈfrɪkʃən/

    the resistance that one surface or object encounters when moving over another

    The friction between the car's tires and the wet road made it difficult to stop quickly.

    Synonyms: resistance, rubbing, drag

    Origin: from Latin 'frictio', meaning 'a rubbing or chafing', from 'fricare', meaning 'to rub'

  3. prognosis · noun/prɑɡˈnoʊsɪs/

    a prediction of the likely course and outcome of a disease or situation

    The doctor provided a favorable prognosis for the patient's recovery after the treatment.

    Synonyms: forecast, prediction, outlook

    Origin: from Greek 'prognōsis', meaning 'foreknowledge'

  4. devotee · noun/dɪˈvoʊtiː/

    a person who is passionately devoted to a cause or person

    As a lifelong devotee of classical music, she attends every concert and supports numerous symphonies.

    Synonyms: enthusiast, follower, adherent

    Origin: From French 'devotée', feminine of 'devot', from Latin 'devotus', past participle of 'devovere' meaning 'to devote'

  5. complicity · noun/kəmˈplɪs.ɪ.ti/

    the state of being involved with others in an illegal activity or wrongdoing

    The investigation revealed the company's complicity in the fraudulent activities orchestrated by its executives.

    Synonyms: collusion, complicity, involvement

    Origin: From Latin 'complicitas', from 'complicare' meaning 'to fold together'.