# dismal vs dismay

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### dismal
*adjective · IPA /ˈdɪzməl/ · frequency rank #20,612*
Disastrous, calamitous.

### dismay
*verb · IPA /dɪsˈmeɪ/ · frequency rank #20,613*
To cause to feel apprehension; great sadness, or fear; to deprive of energy.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dismal-vs-dismay