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dissatisfied
/dɪsˈsætɪsfaɪd/
not content or pleased
Many customers were dissatisfied with the new product.
The customers expressed unhappiness or frustration with the product.
neutral
not satisfied or pleased with something
She remained dissatisfied with her job despite the promotion.
She continued to feel unhappy or unfulfilled in her job.
The team was dissatisfied with the outcome of the meeting.
The team felt disappointed or frustrated by the results.
Often used to describe feelings toward a specific situation or outcome rather than a general state of unhappiness.
Collocations
dissatisfied withunhappy or displeased aboutdeeply dissatisfiedvery unhappy or disappointed
Pro Tip
Avoid redundancy
Do not pair 'dissatisfied' with 'not' (e.g., 'not dissatisfied' is redundant and awkward). Use 'satisfied' instead.
Gold Rule
Context matters
Use 'dissatisfied' for specific situations (e.g., 'dissatisfied with the service') rather than general unhappiness.
Word Origin
From Latin *dissatisfacere* (dis- 'not' + satisfacere 'to satisfy'), via French *dissatisfaire*. First recorded in English in the mid-17th century.
Usage Notes
Commonly used in formal and informal contexts to express mild to moderate discontent. Often followed by 'with' to specify the cause of dissatisfaction.
Word Breakdown
dis-
not, opposite of
prefixsatisfied
pleased or content
rootEnglish Dictionary