Much to our despair vs Much to our dismay

Both "much to our despair" and "much to our dismay" are correct phrases, but they are used in slightly different contexts. "Much to our despair" is typically used to express a stronger sense of hopelessness or sadness, while "much to our dismay" is more commonly used to convey disappointment or displeasure.

Last updated: March 20, 2024 • 1810 views

This phrase is correct and is used to express a strong sense of hopelessness or sadness.

"Much to our despair"

This phrase is used to emphasize a feeling of deep sadness or hopelessness about a situation or outcome.

Examples:

Much to our despair, the rescue team was unable to reach the stranded hikers in time.
The news of the factory closure came as much to our despair as it did to our shock.
The loss of the championship was much to our despair, but we vowed to come back stronger next year.

Show examples from the web [+]

Jan 5, 2016 ... ... our ear to the ground on their movements, which, much to our despair, haven't been that regular. But that's not what these guys are about.
May 15, 2015 ... Yes, magnolia is still going strong much to our despair! But not to fear we quickly got to work washing the walls with 'Almost White' by our ...
Much to our despair (and the customers), most of the time the store tells the customer up front that it is a non-refundable special order. The customer has no ...
Dec 14, 2011 ... As I said before, we've had a lot of fun, so much to our despair now that we must go on with TV commercials! We would really love to have the ...

Alternatives:

to our great dismay
to our deep sorrow
to our profound sadness
to our utter desolation
to our overwhelming grief

This phrase is correct and is commonly used to express disappointment or displeasure.

"Much to our dismay"

This phrase is used to convey a sense of disappointment or displeasure about a situation or outcome.

Examples:

Much to our dismay, the concert was canceled at the last minute.
The sudden price increase came as much to our dismay as it did to our customers'.
The delay in the project completion was much to our dismay, but we managed to overcome the obstacles.

Show examples from the web [+]

Aug 14, 2015 ... Much to our dismay, the end of summer is frighteningly close. And while saying goodbye to sand-covered feet and wavy beach hair is cause ...
So how do you portray the sentiment? The ruse is brought, the truth is bent. And much to our dismay, they're ignorant. The more that we make up the more it fits
Hey, Jessie J Isn't Bi Or Gay, Much To Our Dismay She's Strai, Okay. Profile photo of Riese Posted by Riese on April 8, 2014 at 5:00pm UTC. 161. Click to share ...
5 days ago ... A lot of us will realize (much to our dismay) that the hangover is real when you're finally of the legal age to be hungover. My 18-year-old body ...

Alternatives:

to our great disappointment
to our chagrin
to our regret
to our frustration
to our annoyance

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Much to our despair vs Much to our dismay