Final answer:
The term that best describes amazement or dismay causing serious concern is 'consternation.' This term uniquely encompasses both a sense of surprise and distress.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term for amazement or dismay that hinders or throws into confusion and causes serious concern is consternation. While astonishment may imply great surprise, consternation goes further to include a sense of alarm and distress. Similarly, bewilderment suggests perplexity but does not inherently include the aspect of concern. Apprehension, on the other hand, typically means anxiety or fear about the future, without the component of shock that accompanies consternation.