displeased

displeased — adjective

1. feeling unhappy, annoyed, or slightly angry because something is not what you ex

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

feeling unhappy, annoyed, or slightly angry because something is not what you expected or wanted

Example

Mrs. Chen was clearly displeased with her son's exam results.

displeased with [someone/something] — pattern naming the cause

The manager seemed displeased at the team's failure to meet the deadline.

displeased at [something] — pattern for events or actions

Common collocations
  • displeased with
  • displeased at
  • displeased by
  • displeased that
  • displeased to hear/see/find
Synonyms
  • annoyed

    more common and less formal; suggests mild irritation rather than disappointment

  • dissatisfied

    focuses on unmet expectations rather than anger or annoyance

  • unhappy

    a broader emotional state; less formal and less specific about the cause

Antonyms
  • pleased

    direct opposite; feeling satisfaction or happiness

  • satisfied

    focuses on expectations being met rather than emotional state

Grammar Patterns

displeased with [someone/something]

displeased at [something]

displeased that [clause]

displeased to [infinitive]

Usage Note

Displeased is more formal than annoyed, unhappy, or angry. It is most often used with the preposition with when the cause is a person, and at when the cause is an event or situation. The subject is usually a person, and the feeling typically arises from an unmet expectation.

Common Mistakes

My boss is very displeased.' (too vague — cause is missing)
My boss is very displeased with the quality of my report.
Displeased usually needs a complement (with/at/by/that) to say what caused the feeling.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe a negative emotional reaction, but they differ in register, intensity, and focus. Displeased is the most formal of the group and suggests disappointment mixed with mild anger — it is often used in official or polite contexts (a manager is displeased with poor work). Annoyed is the most common and least formal; it describes mild irritation that may be temporary (annoyed by a noisy neighbour). Dissatisfied focuses on unmet expectations or standards rather than emotion (dissatisfied with the service, even if not angry). Unhappy is the broadest and most general term, covering everything from sadness to mild discontent. For example: a hotel guest might be displeased with the room (formal complaint), annoyed by the construction noise next door, dissatisfied with the lack of hot water, and generally unhappy with the whole stay.

displeased ↗annoyed ↗dissatisfied ↗unhappy ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • displeased to hear
  • displeased to see
  • displeased to learn

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Displeased comes from the prefix dis- (meaning 'not' or 'opposite of') attached to pleased (meaning 'happy or satisfied'). The word entered English through Old French desplaisir, which combined des- ('apart, away') with plaisir ('to please'). The Latin root placēre ('to please, to be acceptable') lies behind both the French and English forms.