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Glite Dictionary
to dissatisfy

to dissatisfy

1 4.3
To make someone unhappy because something does not meet their needs or wants
  • verb
  • /ˌdɪsˈsætɪsfaɪ/
translation icon : decepcionar
  • Dissatisfied with the cleric-created restrictive environment, women and youth brought about the surprise victory of President Khatami, to the great chagrin of the more hard-line clergy.

Examples

  • Dissatisfied, you must wait four years to order again, only to receive, once more, a toxic and bloody mess.

    Blog text (2)

  • So why would they need to dissatisfy this sort of people in any case?

    Blog text (17)

  • What he is being told is that his speech has consequences, which is dissatisfying Macy's customers.

    Blog text (34)

  • Dissatisfied with the lecture method, Adams experimented with different ways to teach.

    Academic text (1998)

  • Dissatisfied with the neighborhood public school Cooper attended since kindergarten, Lewis set out to find something better.

    Blog text (10)

  • Dissatisfied teachers, on the other hand, might not draw the same type of intrinsic satisfaction from collegial interactions.

    Academic text (1991)

  • Dissatisfied with the attitudes and actions of its successor generation, members of the Old Left reassessed their views and the assumptions upon which they rested.

    Academic text (1990)

  • Dissatisfied with this half measure, citizens again used message networking to organize a march of some 7,000 people to demand a permanent halt to the construction.

    Academic text (2008)

  • Dissatisfied with the bleakness of the flat, featureless launch area, Dolly had installed some unique decorations that would make the cafe memorable to space travelers and historians alike.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • The changes to the plan will dissatisfy many members of the committee.

Synonyms

to disappoint
vsto dissatisfy
492 1.0

Fail to do what someone hoped for

is broader, covering general unhappiness not only missed hopes
to let down
vsto dissatisfy
210 2.9

Make someone feel disappointed by not doing what you promised

is more general, meaning someone feels unhappy or not content rather than betrayed
to displease
vsto dissatisfy
28 4.7

To make someone feel annoyed or unhappy

focuses more on general unhappiness rather than brief annoyance
to leave something to be desired
vsto dissatisfy
16 6.6

Is not as good as expected or needed

focuses on causing people to feel unhappy rather than merely poor quality
to discontent
vsto dissatisfy
3 5.0

To make someone not satisfied with their situation

is about a single fault rather than a long term unhappy state
to disgruntle
vsto dissatisfy
1 8.0

To make someone feel unhappy or annoyed

is milder, focusing on general unhappiness rather than a strong bad mood

Antonyms

to satisfy
172 2.0

Make someone happy by meeting their need or wish

How Dissatisfied

to dissatisfy
1 4.3
to disappoint
492 1.0
to displease
28 4.7

Surface Forms

dissatisfy infinitive
dissatisfying present participle
dissatisfies third person singular
dissatisfied past
dissatisfied past participle

Morphology

dissatisfy = satisfy (transparent) = dis + satisfy

For learners who know 'satisfy', adding 'dis-' clearly gives the meaning 'fail to satisfy' or 'make not satisfied'.

Etymology

The word dissatisfy comes from the first part dis- meaning 'not' and the verb satisfy, which means 'to please' or 'make enough'. So, to dissatisfy someone is to 'not please' them or leave them unhappy.