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
prefix
+
satisfied
pleased or content
root
English Dictionary