as in despair
the state of being discouraged
I tried desperately to avoid discouragement after failing the bar exam twice
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Recent Examples of discouragement
SpongeBob doesn’t stay stuck in discouragement or disappointment for long, but rather looks for something positive to focus on.
—
Liz Regalia, Parents, 31 Jan. 2026
Stand strong in your plans and strategies for 2026 even if February and early March bring some discouragement.
—Magi Helena, Dallas Morning News, 17 Jan. 2026
But to unmask the killer in a mansion filled with ticking clocks and suspects, amateur detective Eileen must first get round discouragement from Lady Caterham, played by Helena Bonham Carter, and Sherlock star Martin Freeman as superintendent Battle.
—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 6 Jan. 2026
Keep your cool, adjust expectations, and don’t let discouragement bring you down during this early period of the year.
—Tribune Content Agency, Baltimore Sun, 4 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for discouragement
Liz Regalia, Parents, 31 Jan. 2026
Stand strong in your plans and strategies for 2026 even if February and early March bring some discouragement.
—Magi Helena, Dallas Morning News, 17 Jan. 2026
But to unmask the killer in a mansion filled with ticking clocks and suspects, amateur detective Eileen must first get round discouragement from Lady Caterham, played by Helena Bonham Carter, and Sherlock star Martin Freeman as superintendent Battle.
—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 6 Jan. 2026
Keep your cool, adjust expectations, and don’t let discouragement bring you down during this early period of the year.
—Tribune Content Agency, Baltimore Sun, 4 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for discouragement
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discouragement
Noun
-
Condal also saw what was happening and felt despair.—
Kate Aurthur,
Variety,
20 May 2026
-
Farmers in despair Without insurance, Kongphan, an immigrant from Thailand, has been trying to obtain government aid and figure out how to level earth moved by the floodwaters.—
Jennifer Sinco Kelleher,
Los Angeles Times,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
Orange Friday had turned into a tarps-off, shirts-and-skins exhibition rather than just more dismay in May.—
Cam Inman,
Mercury News,
23 May 2026
-
On Thursday, Blanche met with Republican senators to defend the plan, but a number of them expressed dismay about it.—
Dan Mangan,Kevin Breuninger,
CNBC,
22 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Discouragement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discouragement. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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