discourage

verb

dis·​cour·​age di-ˈskər-ij How to pronounce discourage (audio)
-ˈskə-rij
discouraged; discouraging

transitive verb

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
discourageable adjective
discourager noun
discouragingly adverb

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 Such a broad definition could discourage legitimate exchanges with diplomats, Simon Young, a law professor at the University of Hong Kong, wrote in a submission to the government last month. David Pierson, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2024 Bolsonaro was widely criticized at home and abroad for downplaying the severity of the virus during the pandemic, including discouraging people from getting vaccinated, despite Brazil battling a severe coronavirus outbreak. Tara John, CNN, 19 Mar. 2024 Most companies that students use to buy college essays online put disclaimers on their websites that discourage customers from submitting these papers as their own work. Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2024 Many job vacancies may be in rural areas, discouraging workers in cities from leaving their current jobs to take the roles, Begley says. Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 18 Mar. 2024 But while elite medieval women were discouraged from expressing their feelings in daily life, their letters are a rich source of information about their emotions. Pragya Agarwal, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Mar. 2024 Incidentally, even if your employer tries to discourage them, discussions about pay are legally protected under the National Labor Relations Act. Karla L. Miller, Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2024 Such measures can be effective, at least at discouraging major disruptions. Patrik Jonsson, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Mar. 2024 Girls and women learn to devalue the other relationships in their lives, discouraging them from investing in equally valuable connections. Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'discourage.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English discoragen, from Middle French descorager, from Old French descoragier, from des- dis- + corage courage

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of discourage was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near discourage

Cite this Entry

“Discourage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/discourage. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

discourage

verb
dis·​cour·​age dis-ˈkər-ij How to pronounce discourage (audio)
-ˈkə-rij
discouraged; discouraging
1
: to lessen the courage or confidence of : dishearten
didn't let losing discourage me
2
a
: to make less likely or appealing : deter
laws that discourage speeding
b
: to advise against a course of action : dissuade
discouraged careless work
discouragingly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on discourage

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