Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[learner1]

Hello,

The two words 'dismay' and 'panic' seem to have the same meaning to me, but I am not sure about this. I would like to know if they are interchangeable in some cases. Here are examples:

1."The children fled in panic."
Could we use 'dismay' instead of 'panic' here?

2."To their dismay, the door was locked."
Could we use 'panic' instead of 'dismay' here?

Thanks a lot.

[CP]

Not at all the same. Someone in panic is in a tizzy, maybe frightened, at his wits' end, frantic, disorganized. Someone who is dismayed is a little disappointed.

If a fire breaks out in your house, you might freak out from panic. If you can't find your favorite beer at the liquor store, you might be dismayed.
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You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb

[learner1]

Hello CP,

Good explanation! Thank you very much.