1
as in frustrating
to lessen the courage or confidence of
I didn't let losing discourage me from trying again
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dissuading
to steer (a person) from an activity or course of action
the higher fines may help discourage drivers from speeding on the highway
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in demoralizing
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of discouraging
Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 18 Sep. 2025
As discouraging as these workplace shifts are, young professionals would do well to use this insight to manage their careers.
—Ulrik Juul Christensen, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
The discouraging part was just the lack of adjustments as the game went.
—Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Sep. 2025
Iamaleava, the Tennessee transfer, threw for just 136 yards with one touchdown and an interception in a discouraging Bruins debut at the Rose Bowl.
—Matt Wadleigh, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
That’s a discouraging sign for inflation.
—Nino Paoli, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2025
This brought a discouraging idea to my mind.
—Chester Chatfield, Outdoor Life, 20 Aug. 2025
The disability application process can be long and discouraging, and many people are denied at first.
—Health, 15 Aug. 2025
Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 21 Sep. 2025
Beyond these issues of fatigue and trust, poor user experience can also go a long way in discouraging people from using security workflows.
—Eyal Benishti, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Was all the starting and stopping discouraging?
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 19 Sep. 2025
But by limiting the ability of doctors to provide needed care to their patients, these states are discouraging many potential new doctors.
—Atul Grover, Time, 17 Sep. 2025
People might become afraid of posting any controversial thoughts at all, harming public discourse by discouraging the exploration of ideas.
—Rafael Perez, Oc Register, 17 Sep. 2025
Someone older might be critical, which is discouraging.
—Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 17 Sep. 2025
As far as Young goes, the Week 1 performance was discouraging.
—Mike Kaye
september 10, Charlotte Observer, 10 Sep. 2025
Speaker Johnson is giving the high ground to the Democrats by discouraging Thomas Massie's petition.
—Nick Mordowanec, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
The Red Sox suffered a discouraging 5-3 loss to the Athletics, who clinched the three-game series and handed Boston its eighth defeat in the last 13 games.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 18 Sep. 2025
As discouraging as these workplace shifts are, young professionals would do well to use this insight to manage their careers.
—Ulrik Juul Christensen, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
The discouraging part was just the lack of adjustments as the game went.
—Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Sep. 2025
Iamaleava, the Tennessee transfer, threw for just 136 yards with one touchdown and an interception in a discouraging Bruins debut at the Rose Bowl.
—Matt Wadleigh, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
That’s a discouraging sign for inflation.
—Nino Paoli, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2025
This brought a discouraging idea to my mind.
—Chester Chatfield, Outdoor Life, 20 Aug. 2025
The disability application process can be long and discouraging, and many people are denied at first.
—Health, 15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
Chinese regulators are now discouraging domestic tech giants from buying Nvidia chips, the Financial Times reported, citing unnamed sources.
—Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 21 Sep. 2025
Beyond these issues of fatigue and trust, poor user experience can also go a long way in discouraging people from using security workflows.
—Eyal Benishti, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Was all the starting and stopping discouraging?
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 19 Sep. 2025
But by limiting the ability of doctors to provide needed care to their patients, these states are discouraging many potential new doctors.
—Atul Grover, Time, 17 Sep. 2025
People might become afraid of posting any controversial thoughts at all, harming public discourse by discouraging the exploration of ideas.
—Rafael Perez, Oc Register, 17 Sep. 2025
Someone older might be critical, which is discouraging.
—Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 17 Sep. 2025
As far as Young goes, the Week 1 performance was discouraging.
—Mike Kaye
september 10, Charlotte Observer, 10 Sep. 2025
Speaker Johnson is giving the high ground to the Democrats by discouraging Thomas Massie's petition.
—Nick Mordowanec, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discouraging
Verb
-
Sumpter was charged with multiple felonies and misdemeanors, including assault likely to produce great bodily injury, battery with serious bodily injury and dissuading a witness, Butte County public records show.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Security experts Fox News Digital has spoken with remain divided on how effective secondary tariffs will be in dissuading Putin’s war ambitions, which NATO allies have pose an existential threat to Europe.—
Caitlin McFall,
FOXNews.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
What was meant to be motivating becomes demoralizing.—
George Bradt,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
-
To start the season 0-2 can be a bit demoralizing.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Though disheartening, its abrupt cancellation wasn’t uncommon, especially for television shows that featured Black talent.—
Essence,
Essence,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Fear of failure Failure can be disheartening, embarrassing and often downright devastating — especially in entrepreneurship, when your reputation and finances could be on the line.—
Ashton Jackson,
CNBC,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
When reporting brings abuse to light, prosecutors can crack down on offenders, potentially deterring further abuse.—
Nina A. Kohn,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Containing Russia in Europe is therefore essential to deterring China globally.—
Sławomir Cenckiewicz,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
But the drum sound wasn’t nearly as dismaying as the studio’s piano, which kept slipping out of tune.—
Peter Ames Carlin,
Rolling Stone,
13 Aug. 2025
-
With a six-game deficit in the American League wild card hunt entering play on Monday, the Angels may be only a few series away from repeating their dismaying playbook from 2023.—
Jackson Roberts,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Again, the relief pitching choices are daunting considering (a) the stakes and (b) the regular-season production.—
Jim Alexander,
Oc Register,
16 Sep. 2025
-
But the sheer volume of unprocessed applications continues to be daunting.—
Adam S. Minsky,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
For some—for me—the experience of certain kinds of anxiety has a disconcerting synesthetic quality.—
Scott Stossel,
The Atlantic,
9 Sep. 2025
-
The disconcerting answer is that nobody knows.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
We got handed a lot of paperwork that at first was sort of intimidating.—
Aaron Couch,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Sep. 2025
-
Despite their intimidating appearance, Joro spiders are considered shy and are not a significant threat to people or pets.—
Audrey Gibbs,
Nashville Tennessean,
18 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Discouraging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discouraging. Accessed 23 Sep. 2025.
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