discourage
verb
dis·cour·age
di-ˈskər-ij 
-ˈskə-rij
discouraged; discouraging
1
: to deprive of courage or confidence : dishearten
was discouraged by repeated failure
2
a
: to hinder by disfavoring
trying to discourage absenteeism
b
: to dissuade or attempt to dissuade from doing something
tried to discourage her from going
discourager
noun
Synonyms
Examples of discourage in a Sentence
Try not to let losing discourage you.
The area's dry climate discourages agriculture.
He claims the new regulations will discourage investment.
That type of behavior ought to be discouraged.
Recent Examples on the Web
Bystanders are discouraged or prevented from recording, restricting the how many of these interactions appear on social media.
—
Hannah Peart, NBC News, 14 Nov. 2024
To avoid discouraging students, some school districts did away with D and F grades.
—Karin Klein, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
Ariel Perez Rain doesn’t discourage voters in Allouez Heavy rain didn’t keep voters from turning out when polls opened at 7 a.m.
—Madison Lammert, Journal Sentinel, 6 Nov. 2024
The misconception that working harder could prevent or treat depression may further stigmatize those who are affected and discourage them from seeking treatment.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for discourage 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Hannah Peart, NBC News, 14 Nov. 2024
To avoid discouraging students, some school districts did away with D and F grades.
—Karin Klein, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
Ariel Perez Rain doesn’t discourage voters in Allouez Heavy rain didn’t keep voters from turning out when polls opened at 7 a.m.
—Madison Lammert, Journal Sentinel, 6 Nov. 2024
The misconception that working harder could prevent or treat depression may further stigmatize those who are affected and discourage them from seeking treatment.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for discourage
Dictionary Entries Near discourage
Cite this Entry
“Discourage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/discourage. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
discourage
verb
dis·cour·age
dis-ˈkər-ij
-ˈkə-rij
discouraged; discouraging
1
: to lessen the courage or confidence of : dishearten
didn't let losing discourage me
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share