Library / English Dictionary

DISSATISFY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

Irregular inflected form: dissatisfied   

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Fail to satisfy

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Hypernyms (to "dissatisfy" is one way to...):

displease (give displeasure to)

"Dissatisfy" entails doing...:

disappoint; let down (fail to meet the hopes or expectations of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "dissatisfy"):

discontent (make dissatisfied)

disgruntle (put into a bad mood or into bad humour)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Sentence example:

The performance is likely to dissatisfy Sue

Antonym:

satisfy (make happy or satisfied)

Derivation:

dissatisfaction (the feeling of being displeased and discontent)

dissatisfactory (not up to expectations)

Credits

 Context examples: 

A question about whether an individual is or was dissatisfied with the appearance of their scar.

(Dissatisfied with Appearance of Scar, NCI Thesaurus)

She felt, as she looked at Julia and Mr. Rushworth, that hers was not the only dissatisfied bosom amongst them: there was gloom on the face of each.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

No; it was intended for the drawing-room; but my father was dissatisfied with the painting, and for some time it had no place.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

Moreover, the shift from deep, consolidated sleep in youth to fitful, dissatisfying sleep can start as early as one's 30s, paving the way for sleep-related cognitive and physical ailments in middle age.

(Deep Sleep May Act as Fountain of Youth in Old Age, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

This volume would have been at least twice as large, if I had not made bold to strike out innumerable passages relating to the winds and tides, as well as to the variations and bearings in the several voyages, together with the minute descriptions of the management of the ship in storms, in the style of sailors; likewise the account of longitudes and latitudes; wherein I have reason to apprehend, that Mr. Gulliver may be a little dissatisfied.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

I am happy to report this, for many Aquarians have written to me on Twitter and Instagram (I am @astrologyzone) saying that they were either dissatisfied with their present jobs and frustrated that they couldn’t find a new job, or they reported that they were unable to get work after having been downsized.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

And I feel dissatisfied.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

He spoke, I thought, as if he were weary, or dissatisfied with something; but I did not pursue the question in my mind, for dinner was just then announced, and we went down and took the same seats as before.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

This crew's dissatisfied; this crew don't vally bullying a marlin-spike; this crew has its rights like other crews, I'll make so free as that; and by your own rules, I take it we can talk together.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

When does she try to avoid society, or appear restless and dissatisfied in it?

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)