discomfit

1 of 2

verb

dis·com·fit dis-ˈkəm(p)-fət How to pronounce discomfit (audio)

especially Southern ˌdis-kəm-ˈfit

discomfited; discomfiting; discomfits

transitive verb

: to put into a state of perplexity and embarrassment : disconcert

was discomfited by the question

: to frustrate the plans of : thwart

discomfit our foes

archaic : to defeat in battle

the ground … strewn with the discomfited

Stephen Crane

discomfitingly

dis-ˈkəm(p)-fə-tiŋ-lē How to pronounce discomfit (audio)

ˌdīs-kəm-ˈfi-

adverb

discomfit

2 of 2

noun

: the state of being confused, embarrassed, or upset : discomfiture

Did you know?

Disconcerted by discomfit and discomfort? While the two look similar and share some semantic territory, they're etymologically unrelated. Unlike discomfort, discomfit has no connection to comfort, which comes ultimately from Latin com- plus fortis, meaning "strong." Instead, discomfit was borrowed from Anglo-French in the 13th century with the meaning "to defeat in battle." Within a couple centuries, discomfit had expanded beyond the battlefield to mean "to frustrate the plans of; to thwart," a meaning that eventually softened into the "to disconcert or confuse" use we find most often today—one quite close to the uneasiness and annoyance communicated by discomfort. For a time, usage commentators were keen to keep a greater distance between discomfit and discomfort; they recommended that discomfit be limited to "to completely defeat; to rout," but they've largely given up now, and the "disconcert or confuse" meaning is fully established. There is one major difference between discomfit and discomfort, though: discomfit is used almost exclusively as a verb, while discomfort is much more commonly used as a noun than a verb.

Example Sentences

Verb constant interruptions discomfited her in her attempt to finish the speech, and she finally gave up he was discomfited by the awkward situation of having his ex-girlfriend meet his current one

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Daringly written mostly without gender pronouns, the poems discomfit the reader in the best possible way.

Wsj Books Staff, WSJ, 8 Dec. 2021 It may also be seen as a way to discomfit the U.S. and serve as a bargaining chip to dissuade the U.S. from building missile defenses.

Michael Peck, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2021 Singapore’s long reliance on a vast underclass of cheap labor from places like India, China, Bangladesh and Myanmar has discomfited some Singaporeans.

Hannah Beech, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2020 An equally discomfiting element of the later books is what happens to Meg.

Ruth Franklin, The New York Review of Books, 25 Feb. 2020 But in these packages, and in live broadcasts, the editing is meticulous, omitting anything that might discomfit the N.F.L.’s brass and team owners.

Jody Rosen, New York Times, 12 Dec. 2019 The discomfiting fiction lends its name to a new exhibition of Kehinde Wiley’s work at the William Morris Gallery in London.

The Economist, 28 Feb. 2020 Lange endured a fractious relationship with Stryker, who seemed deeply discomfited by a strong-minded woman.

Arthur Lubow, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2020 All is provisional — a discomfiting proposition at first, but ultimately a relief.

Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2019

Noun

The discomfit of his rivals has been a political gift to Macron.

Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2022 See More

discomfit

verb

as in to frustrate

to prevent from achieving a goal constant interruptions discomfited her in her attempt to finish the speech, and she finally gave up

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

frustrate
baffle
thwart
hamper
defeat
balk
hinder
impede
prevent
overcome
checkmate
foil
stop
beat
halt
obstruct
obviate
handicap
inhibit
preclude
encumber
hobble
block
forestall
avert
arrest
fetter
clog
tie up
neutralize
trammel
nullify
shackle
stall
negate
set back
offset
counteract
check
bar
conquer
hold back
manacle
short-circuit
interfere (with)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

encourage
promote
forward
assist
aid
advance
further
cultivate
foster
ease
facilitate
nurture
abet
smooth

as in to embarrass

to throw into a state of self-conscious distress he was discomfited by the awkward situation of having his ex-girlfriend meet his current one

Synonyms & Similar Words

embarrass
confuse
fluster
disconcert
rattle
unsettle
discomfort
bother
abash
mortify
upset
nonplus
confound
disturb
distress
humiliate
disquiet
faze
dismay
discountenance
chagrin
perturb
shame
discompose
agitate
demean
humble
unhinge
queer
debase
degrade
put off
put out

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

relieve
comfort
soothe
calm
encourage
cheer
console
assure
reassure
hearten
embolden
buoy

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of discomfit are abash, disconcert, embarrass, and rattle. While all these words mean "to distress by confusing or confounding," discomfit implies a hampering or frustrating accompanied by confusion.

hecklers discomfited the speaker

In some situations, the words abash and discomfit are roughly equivalent. However, abash presupposes some initial self-confidence that receives a sudden check, producing shyness, shame, or a feeling of inferiority.

abashed by her swift and cutting retort

The synonyms disconcert and discomfit are sometimes interchangeable, but disconcert implies an upsetting of equanimity or assurance producing uncertainty or hesitancy.

disconcerted by finding so many in attendance

The words embarrass and discomfit can be used in similar contexts, but embarrass implies some influence that impedes thought, speech, or action.

the question embarrassed her so much she couldn't answer

While in some cases nearly identical to discomfit, rattle implies an agitation that impairs thought and judgment.

rattled by all the television cameras

单词	discomfit
释义	discomfit 1 of 2 verb dis·com·fit dis-ˈkəm(p)-fət especially Southern ˌdis-kəm-ˈfit discomfited; discomfiting; discomfits transitive verb 1 : to put into a state of perplexity and embarrassment : disconcert was discomfited by the question 2 a : to frustrate the plans of : thwart discomfit our foes b archaic : to defeat in battle the ground … strewn with the discomfited Stephen Crane discomfitingly dis-ˈkəm(p)-fə-tiŋ-lē ˌdīs-kəm-ˈfi- adverb discomfit 2 of 2 noun : the state of being confused, embarrassed, or upset : discomfiture Did you know? Disconcerted by discomfit and discomfort? While the two look similar and share some semantic territory, they're etymologically unrelated. Unlike discomfort, discomfit has no connection to comfort, which comes ultimately from Latin com- plus fortis, meaning "strong." Instead, discomfit was borrowed from Anglo-French in the 13th century with the meaning "to defeat in battle." Within a couple centuries, discomfit had expanded beyond the battlefield to mean "to frustrate the plans of; to thwart," a meaning that eventually softened into the "to disconcert or confuse" use we find most often today—one quite close to the uneasiness and annoyance communicated by discomfort. For a time, usage commentators were keen to keep a greater distance between discomfit and discomfort; they recommended that discomfit be limited to "to completely defeat; to rout," but they've largely given up now, and the "disconcert or confuse" meaning is fully established. There is one major difference between discomfit and discomfort, though: discomfit is used almost exclusively as a verb, while discomfort is much more commonly used as a noun than a verb. Synonyms Verb baffle balk beat checkmate foil frustrate thwart See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Verb constant interruptions discomfited her in her attempt to finish the speech, and she finally gave up he was discomfited by the awkward situation of having his ex-girlfriend meet his current one Recent Examples on the Web Verb Daringly written mostly without gender pronouns, the poems discomfit the reader in the best possible way. Wsj Books Staff, WSJ, 8 Dec. 2021 It may also be seen as a way to discomfit the U.S. and serve as a bargaining chip to dissuade the U.S. from building missile defenses. Michael Peck, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2021 Singapore’s long reliance on a vast underclass of cheap labor from places like India, China, Bangladesh and Myanmar has discomfited some Singaporeans. Hannah Beech, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2020 An equally discomfiting element of the later books is what happens to Meg. Ruth Franklin, The New York Review of Books, 25 Feb. 2020 But in these packages, and in live broadcasts, the editing is meticulous, omitting anything that might discomfit the N.F.L.’s brass and team owners. Jody Rosen, New York Times, 12 Dec. 2019 The discomfiting fiction lends its name to a new exhibition of Kehinde Wiley’s work at the William Morris Gallery in London. The Economist, 28 Feb. 2020 Lange endured a fractious relationship with Stryker, who seemed deeply discomfited by a strong-minded woman. Arthur Lubow, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2020 All is provisional — a discomfiting proposition at first, but ultimately a relief. Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2019 Noun The discomfit of his rivals has been a political gift to Macron. Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2022 See More Word History Etymology Verb and Noun Middle English, from Anglo-French descumfit, past participle of descumfire, from des- dis- + cumfire to prepare — more at comfit First Known Use Verb 13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2b Noun circa 1616, in the meaning defined above discomfit verb 1 as in to frustrate to prevent from achieving a goal constant interruptions discomfited her in her attempt to finish the speech, and she finally gave up Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance frustrate baffle thwart hamper defeat balk hinder impede prevent overcome checkmate foil stop beat halt obstruct obviate handicap inhibit preclude encumber hobble block forestall avert arrest fetter clog tie up neutralize trammel nullify shackle stall negate set back offset counteract check bar conquer hold back manacle short-circuit interfere (with) Antonyms & Near Antonyms encourage promote forward assist aid advance further cultivate foster ease facilitate nurture abet smooth See More 2 as in to embarrass to throw into a state of self-conscious distress he was discomfited by the awkward situation of having his ex-girlfriend meet his current one Synonyms & Similar Words embarrass confuse fluster disconcert rattle unsettle discomfort bother abash mortify upset nonplus confound disturb distress humiliate disquiet faze dismay discountenance chagrin perturb shame discompose agitate demean humble unhinge queer debase degrade put off put out Antonyms & Near Antonyms relieve comfort soothe calm encourage cheer console assure reassure hearten embolden buoy See More Synonym Chooser Some common synonyms of discomfit are abash, disconcert, embarrass, and rattle. While all these words mean "to distress by confusing or confounding," discomfit implies a hampering or frustrating accompanied by confusion. hecklers discomfited the speaker In some situations, the words abash and discomfit are roughly equivalent. However, abash presupposes some initial self-confidence that receives a sudden check, producing shyness, shame, or a feeling of inferiority. abashed by her swift and cutting retort The synonyms disconcert and discomfit are sometimes interchangeable, but disconcert implies an upsetting of equanimity or assurance producing uncertainty or hesitancy. disconcerted by finding so many in attendance The words embarrass and discomfit can be used in similar contexts, but embarrass implies some influence that impedes thought, speech, or action. the question embarrassed her so much she couldn't answer While in some cases nearly identical to discomfit, rattle implies an agitation that impairs thought and judgment. rattled by all the television cameras
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discomfit

verb

noun

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

verb

Synonym Chooser