displease

verb

dis·​please (ˌ)dis-ˈplēz How to pronounce displease (audio)
displeased; displeasing; displeases

transitive verb

1
: to incur the disapproval or dislike of especially by annoying
their gossip displeases her
2
: to be offensive to
abstract art displeases him

intransitive verb

: to give displeasure
behavior calculated to displease

Examples of displease in a Sentence

her coworkers' tendency to pry displeased her
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Federal money makes up around 10 percent of funding for public schools, with some variation based on need, and, at the collegiate level, Trump has quickly targeted the finances of schools that displease him. Lexi Lonas Cochran, The Hill, 12 Apr. 2025 And the president's own actions — attacking judges and law firms that have displeased him — may be seen by Mr. Netanyahu as a kind of permission slip for his own efforts, analysts say. Michael D. Shear, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025 The Terps, displeased with how the season went, attacked the transfer portal hard. Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 7 Apr. 2025 Dickinson shouldered the blame in the locker room, displeased with himself after scoring 11 points with six rebounds and four assists the first half and no points on 0-of-4 shooting with three rebounds, no assists and two turnovers the final half. Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 21 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for displease

Word History

Etymology

Middle English displesen, from Anglo-French despleisir, desplere, from des- dis- + pleisir to please — more at please

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of displease was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Displease.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/displease. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

displease

verb
dis·​please (ˈ)dis-ˈplēz How to pronounce displease (audio)
: to cause to feel disapproval, dislike, or annoyance
was displeased by the delay

More from Merriam-Webster on displease

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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