Chagrin
/ʃəˈɡrɪn/
nounC1
Definition
Chagrin means feeling upset or embarrassed because something did not go as planned or because of a personal mistake. It is a deeper, more emotional kind of disappointment that often mixes sadness and shame.
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⚡ See It in Action
A feeling of distress or embarrassment caused by failure or disappointment
- •To his chagrin, he forgot his speech notes during the presentation.
- •She felt chagrin when her painting was criticized by the teacher.
- •Much to their chagrin, the team lost the championship game.
🧲 Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "chagrin" like "sad" or "disappointed," but stronger and mixed with embarrassment or shame.
- ✓Picture someone dropping a cake in front of guests and feeling their face get hot with embarrassment.
- ✓It’s the feeling when you try very hard but still fail, and you feel both sad and a little ashamed.
- ✓Sounds like "shah-GRIN" → imagine a grim face showing both sadness and shame after a mistake.
- ✓In stories, characters often feel chagrin after embarrassing moments or when their plans fail badly.
- ✓NOT like "anger" (feeling mad at others), chagrin is about feeling upset with yourself.
- ✓NOT like "regret" (wishing you had done differently), chagrin is more about the painful emotion of failure or shame.
- ✓NOT like "disappointment" alone, because chagrin includes embarrassment and personal discomfort.
🔄 Try Other Words
- •Disappointment: feeling unhappy because something did not happen as hoped (Use when the feeling is less about shame and more about unmet expectations)
- •Embarrassment: feeling awkward or ashamed in social situations (Use when the focus is on social awkwardness or shame)
- •Regret: feeling sorry for something done or not done (Use when focusing on wishing things had been different)
🔍 Unboxing
- •Word parts: (no clear prefix or suffix; it is a whole word borrowed as is)
- •Etymology: From French "chagrin," meaning sorrow or distress
- •Historical development: Entered English in the late 16th century, originally meaning grief or sorrow; later focused on embarrassment and disappointment
- •Modern usage: Used mainly to describe a strong personal feeling of disappointment mixed with shame or embarrassment
💭 Reflect & Connect
•Can you think of a time when you felt chagrin instead of just disappointment? What made the feeling stronger?
•How might understanding chagrin help you react better when you or others make mistakes?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word:
1.To his chagrin, she ___ the wrong answer in front of the whole class, which made her feel very embarrassed.
2.Feeling chagrin often happens when someone’s ___ or plans fail unexpectedly.
3.Unlike simple disappointment, chagrin includes a sense of personal ___ or shame.
4.People sometimes try to hide their chagrin because it feels too ___ to show openly.
5.When the project failed, the manager expressed his chagrin ___ the team’s effort.
6.Chagrin is different from regret because it focuses more on the ___ feeling than wishing for a different choice.
7.After the embarrassing mistake, he was filled with chagrin and wanted to ___ the situation quickly.