as in embarrassment
the emotional state of being made self-consciously uncomfortable
blushed and lowered her eyes in evident discomfiture
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Recent Examples of discomfiture
The actor enhances his character’s long inner monologues with his eloquent ice-blue eyes, which can convey emotions ranging from disdain and discomfiture to despair and devotion.
—
Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 12 May 2025
Dolan’s discomfiture is understandable, as cord-cutting was already doing a number on the legacy RSN model well before the NBA began beefing up its national TV slate at the expense of the local sports channels.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 2 May 2025
Everywhere, Ryback says, the cartoonists and editorialists delighted in Hitler’s discomfiture.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2024
Back in the States, Frankie suffers from terrifying episodes of PTSD, from society’s refusal to believe that women served in the conflict and from her own parents’ discomfiture over her service.
—Katherine A. Powers, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2024
Sohel’s father, an aristo to his fingertips, would have been amused to think of a Dunyapur peasant having an opinion on the matter at all, and might have called him over to enjoy his discomfiture in the presence of the Begum Sahiba’s bikini.
—Daniyal Mueenuddin, The New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2021
Marsac’s discomfiture nevertheless leads to something utterly unexpected.
—Washington Post, 1 Sep. 2021
When the aliens did not appear, some members of the group became disillusioned and immediately departed, but others dealt with their discomfiture by doubling down on their conviction.
—Zoë Heller, The New Yorker, 5 July 2021
Kedar is sung after eight o’clock in the evening, and to sing it at twilight, at six o’clock, would create slight discomfiture.
—Amit Chaudhuri, Harper's Magazine, 16 Mar. 2021
Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 12 May 2025
Dolan’s discomfiture is understandable, as cord-cutting was already doing a number on the legacy RSN model well before the NBA began beefing up its national TV slate at the expense of the local sports channels.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 2 May 2025
Everywhere, Ryback says, the cartoonists and editorialists delighted in Hitler’s discomfiture.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2024
Back in the States, Frankie suffers from terrifying episodes of PTSD, from society’s refusal to believe that women served in the conflict and from her own parents’ discomfiture over her service.
—Katherine A. Powers, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2024
Sohel’s father, an aristo to his fingertips, would have been amused to think of a Dunyapur peasant having an opinion on the matter at all, and might have called him over to enjoy his discomfiture in the presence of the Begum Sahiba’s bikini.
—Daniyal Mueenuddin, The New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2021
Marsac’s discomfiture nevertheless leads to something utterly unexpected.
—Washington Post, 1 Sep. 2021
When the aliens did not appear, some members of the group became disillusioned and immediately departed, but others dealt with their discomfiture by doubling down on their conviction.
—Zoë Heller, The New Yorker, 5 July 2021
Kedar is sung after eight o’clock in the evening, and to sing it at twilight, at six o’clock, would create slight discomfiture.
—Amit Chaudhuri, Harper's Magazine, 16 Mar. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discomfiture
Noun
-
Tacoma is Seattle’s industrial flunky, the also-ran, the perennial embarrassment.—
Caroline Fraser
June 10,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2025
-
Eric Adams’ collaboration has delivered nothing but embarrassment, money being stolen from our city coffers, and immigrant families being torn apart.—
Zohran Mamdani,
New York Daily News,
8 June 2025
Noun
-
Some of those who chose to evacuate didn’t do so promptly, and there was widespread confusion whether evacuation was necessary at all.—
Rong-Gong Lin II,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2025
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The end result of this copycat strategy was external confusion, internal demoralization, and financial underperformance.—
Dev Patnaik,
Forbes.com,
7 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Discomfiture.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discomfiture. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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