What does "chagrin" mean?
Distress of mind caused by a failure of aims or plans, want of appreciation, mistakes etc; vexation or mortification.
Chagrin
/ʃəˈɡɹɪn/ adj, noun, verb
adj, noun, verb ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Distress of mind caused by a failure of aims or plans, want of appreciation, mistakes etc; vexation or mortification.
- Grammar: chagrin is listed as adj, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: mortification, abase, abash, abashment.
- Useful contrasts: advantage, comfort, composure.
- Usage evidence: To the chagrin of young job seekers the world over, McDonald's now requires a bachelor's in philosophy for its cashiers.
How to use "chagrin"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "chagrin" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "chagrin" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "chagrin" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "chagrin" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "chagrin" is acting as adj, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "mortification" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "chagrin", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Distress of mind caused by a failure of aims or plans, want of appreciation, mistakes etc; vexation or mortification. countable, uncountable
"much to the chagrin (of)"
- 2 strong feelings of embarrassment wordnet
- 3 A type of leather or skin with a rough surface. countable, uncountable
Verb
- 1 To bother or vex; to mortify. transitive
"But since this Infidel Minister knows the folly of these Brags; which he sees destroy’d by the Relations Printed in other Countries: They serve only, for a Subject to augment his Pride; and gives him a Pleasure, the mor to Chagrine and Mortifie the French Ambassador."
- 2 cause to feel shame; hurt the pride of wordnet
- 3 To be vexed or annoyed. obsolete, rare, reflexive
"Dear Ma’am, why will you chagrine yourself about a vile Man, that is not worth,—no, as I live and breathe,—not worth a single Sigh?—"
Adjective
- 1 Feeling chagrin; annoyed; vexed, fretful. obsolete
"Dear, my dear, pity me; I am so chagrin to day, and have had the most signal affront at Court!"
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"To the chagrin of young job seekers the world over, McDonald's now requires a bachelor's in philosophy for its cashiers."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "chagrin"?
Common synonyms include: mortification, abase, abash, abashment, cast down, confound.
How do you use "chagrin" in a sentence?
To the chagrin of young job seekers the world over, McDonald's now requires a bachelor's in philosophy for its cashiers.
How do you pronounce "chagrin"?
Pronounced /ʃəˈɡɹɪn/.
Etymology
From French chagrin (“sorrow”), from Middle French chagrin (“pain, affliction”) (compare Middle French chagriner, chagrigner (“to experience sorrow”), Old French chagrin (“painful, afflicted”)), probably derived from Old Northern French chagreiner, chagraigner (“to sadden”), of uncertain origin. Likely an enlargement of Old French greignier, graignier (“to cringe, growl, be sullen, be angry, grieve over”), from Old French graigne (“sadness, resentment, grief”), from graim (“sorrowful”), related to Old High German gram (“furious, gloomy, grieved”). The initial syllable is obscure. It may represent Old French chat (“cat”) to express the idea of "lamenting or yowling like cats" (compare German Katzenjammer (“distress, frustration, depression, chagrin”, literally “cat-wailing, cat-misery”), katzbalgen (“to cat-fight”)). An alternative theory is that it came from a metaphorical use of French chagrin, (peau de) chagrain (“a type of roughened leather”), with the connection of roughness, though some dictionaries consider this to be a separate word derived from Old French peau de sagrin, from Ottoman Turkish [script needed] (sağrı, “the rump of an animal, skin for tawing”). The alteration of initial s to ch is likely due to influence from chagrin meaning "sorrow".