Displeased

Displeased is an adjective describing a feeling of dissatisfaction, annoyance, or disapproval in response to something. It denotes a milder emotional state than anger, and can range from mild disappointment to stronger discontent, depending on context. It is often used to report an emotional reaction by a person or group, rather than to describe a behavior.

In usage, displeased is typically followed by with or by, as in “displeased with the decision” or “the committee was displeased by the delay.” It appears in formal or written language and is common in journalism, diplomacy, and business communications. In everyday speech, more informal synonyms such as unhappy or dissatisfied may be used.

Etymology: displease is formed from the prefix dis- meaning not or opposite of, plus please, which itself derives from Old French plaire, from Latin placere “to please.” The adjective displeased is the past participle form used attributively or predicatively. The term has been in use since the late medieval or early modern period, with attestations dating to the 15th century.

Related terms and nuances: displeasure is the noun form referring to the feeling itself. Synonyms include dissatisfied, unhappy, annoyed, or discontent; antonyms include pleased, content, and satisfied. The word often carries a formal or measured tone and is commonly employed in reporting, diplomacy, and professional communication to express a measured reaction of disapproval or disappointment.