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
The richest, Elon Musk, has discouraged Republican members of Congress from supporting a bipartisan budget deal, which collapsed on Thursday.
—
Ted Reed, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
Ironically, Tom Holland and Zendaya were initially discouraged from exploring their chemistry off-screen.
—Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 20 Dec. 2024
Hanging the lights on trees or bushes is discouraged, as the deer often rub their antlers against plants or tree trunks to sharpen them during the rut.
—Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
Those practices include using drugs to delay or induce labor, discouraging ultrasounds and other prenatal care, and failing to transfer mothers to the hospital in potentially dangerous situations, according to the complaints.
—Alyssa N. Salcedo, Journal Sentinel, 17 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for discourage 
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Ted Reed, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
Ironically, Tom Holland and Zendaya were initially discouraged from exploring their chemistry off-screen.
—Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 20 Dec. 2024
Hanging the lights on trees or bushes is discouraged, as the deer often rub their antlers against plants or tree trunks to sharpen them during the rut.
—Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
Those practices include using drugs to delay or induce labor, discouraging ultrasounds and other prenatal care, and failing to transfer mothers to the hospital in potentially dangerous situations, according to the complaints.
—Alyssa N. Salcedo, Journal Sentinel, 17 Dec. 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 31 Dec. 2024.
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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
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