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
New York officials have tried to discourage honking since at least the 1930s.
—
Erin Nolan, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2024
So why does Sammy want to go on this dangerous journey, especially when he’s being discouraged from doing so?
—Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Apr. 2024
Though The Hollywood Reporter reports that the Roots star discouraged his children from following in his footsteps, Shannon grew up to become a producer, working on shows like Yo! MTV Raps and America’s Most Wanted.
—Nicole Briese, Peoplemag, 12 Apr. 2024
The group wants to discourage this self-reinforcing cycle of electing more and more extreme ends of the political spectrum.
—Kayla Dwyer, The Indianapolis Star, 11 Apr. 2024
Exemplary damages, which in lawsuits are meant to discourage others from taking similar actions, typically have a legal limit.
—James Hartley, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Apr. 2024
Finally, there is the misconception that Chinese entrepreneurs are discouraged and moving their money out of the country.
—Nicholas R. Lardy, Foreign Affairs, 2 Apr. 2024
Any past history with DFCS, no matter the circumstances, can also lead the agency to discourage returning children to the household.
—Stephannie Stokes, ProPublica, 1 Apr. 2024
The dire financial situation didn’t discourage investors last fall, though.
—Chris Morris, Fortune, 1 Apr. 2024
Erin Nolan, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2024
So why does Sammy want to go on this dangerous journey, especially when he’s being discouraged from doing so?
—Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Apr. 2024
Though The Hollywood Reporter reports that the Roots star discouraged his children from following in his footsteps, Shannon grew up to become a producer, working on shows like Yo! MTV Raps and America’s Most Wanted.
—Nicole Briese, Peoplemag, 12 Apr. 2024
The group wants to discourage this self-reinforcing cycle of electing more and more extreme ends of the political spectrum.
—Kayla Dwyer, The Indianapolis Star, 11 Apr. 2024
Exemplary damages, which in lawsuits are meant to discourage others from taking similar actions, typically have a legal limit.
—James Hartley, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Apr. 2024
Finally, there is the misconception that Chinese entrepreneurs are discouraged and moving their money out of the country.
—Nicholas R. Lardy, Foreign Affairs, 2 Apr. 2024
Any past history with DFCS, no matter the circumstances, can also lead the agency to discourage returning children to the household.
—Stephannie Stokes, ProPublica, 1 Apr. 2024
The dire financial situation didn’t discourage investors last fall, though.
—Chris Morris, Fortune, 1 Apr. 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.
Dictionary Entries Near discourage
Cite this Entry
“Discourage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/discourage. Accessed 18 Apr. 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