Chagrin describes someone who feels

• A. Elated.
• B. Calm and content.
• C. A feeling of being very annoyed, disappointed, or embarrassed because of failure, disappointment, or humiliation.
• D. A sense of confusion.

Answer: (A)

Understanding the feeling behind the word is key here. Chagrin is that mix of distress you get when something goes wrong or you’re humiliated by a setback. It combines annoyance and disappointment with a tinge of embarrassment—the sense that things didn’t turn out as hoped and you’re quietly troubled by it. It’s not happiness or elation, so that option doesn’t fit. It’s not calm and content, since chagrin carries a sting of dissatisfaction, and it’s not confusion, which would be a different kind of unsettled feeling. So the best match is a strong feeling of being very annoyed, disappointed, or embarrassed because of failure or humiliation.