Dismay

dis•may (noun)

The definition of dismay is a sudden disappointment according to the Merriam Webster Dictionary. This word appears in the story “Sweat” by Zora Neale Hurston on the second page when it states, “His wife gave a little scream of dismay, and quickly gathered them together again.” Knowing the definition of this word helps to better understand that the women screamed in a sudden disappointment after her husband made a mess of the clothes she was folding.