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
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
This design helps prevent condensation buildup and discourages rodents and pests, while still reducing the risk of damage from falling debris during winter storms.
—
Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Jan. 2026
This amount of focus (and arm strength) can discourage home cooks from attempting to make these exceptional NOLA dishes—but luckily, there is another way.
—Taylor Tobin, Southern Living, 5 Jan. 2026
It’s likely intended to discourage any popular uprising from opposition forces looking to take advantage of the chaos.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 4 Jan. 2026
The article claimed that the Google veteran was discouraging people from pursuing degrees in law or medicine.
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 1 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for discourage
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Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Jan. 2026
This amount of focus (and arm strength) can discourage home cooks from attempting to make these exceptional NOLA dishes—but luckily, there is another way.
—Taylor Tobin, Southern Living, 5 Jan. 2026
It’s likely intended to discourage any popular uprising from opposition forces looking to take advantage of the chaos.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 4 Jan. 2026
The article claimed that the Google veteran was discouraging people from pursuing degrees in law or medicine.
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 1 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for discourage
Cite this Entry
“Discourage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/discourage. Accessed 6 Jan. 2026.
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
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