as in disheartening
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as in discouraging
to lessen the courage or confidence of
dispirited by the overwhelming amount of information needed to write the report
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Recent Examples of dispiriting
Zareen Syed, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026
The 5-2 loss was Toronto’s third straight coming out of the Olympic break and third straight display of dejected, dispiriting, flat and admittedly embarrassing hockey.
—Jonas Siegel, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2026
Some might take issue that actual recordings get used, but given the message this expertly made film so emphatically presents, that haunting voice makes the film all that more powerful, meaningful and dispiriting.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2026
In Week 16, Detroit had a first and goal from the 1-yard line in the final seconds against the Pittsburgh Steelers but failed to score the go-ahead touchdown in a dispiriting loss.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 26 Dec. 2025
Then there’s the somewhat dispiriting fact that stadium-level rock bands are dwindling for younger generations, so much so that these offers to push out older acts are almost done by necessity.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2025
Some folks harbor a dispiriting conviction that governments are unable to handle the simplest task.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 22 Aug. 2025
Let’s establish all of that up front after the Carolina Panthers’ dispiriting, 20-3 exhibition loss at Houston Saturday.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 17 Aug. 2025
Whether driven by social apathy or artistic passion, James—effortlessly played by O’Connor with hangdog elegance—registers as a compelling update of the ’70s American male loner archetype for another dispiriting, directionless time.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2025
Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Mar. 2026
The result was a dispiriting 5-1 shellacking at the hands of a deeply mid Seattle Kraken side.
—Thomas Drance, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2026
For those of Republican persuasion, the coming election should be dispiriting for a party that once ruled the Lake County political roost.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 2 Mar. 2026
All these elements evolved against a dispiriting backdrop.
—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2026
There’s no shortage of dispiriting news, but Wednesday’s gutting of the Washington Post staff was particularly lousy.
—Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 6 Feb. 2026
By studying the moon's size, the chemical makeup of its rocky core and the gravitational forces at work from the gas giant Jupiter, a team of scientists came to a conclusion that may be dispiriting to those searching for life beyond Earth.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 8 Jan. 2026
Navigating the city’s shelter system alone can be dispiriting and fruitless.
—Saumya Roy, The Dial, 6 Jan. 2026
In this dispiriting context, podcasts have grown all the more appealing.
—Thomas Chatterton Williams, The Atlantic, 30 Dec. 2025
Adjective
Uddin said there are challenges to operating a food pantry at a high volume, but none more dispiriting than having to say no.
—Zareen Syed, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026
The 5-2 loss was Toronto’s third straight coming out of the Olympic break and third straight display of dejected, dispiriting, flat and admittedly embarrassing hockey.
—Jonas Siegel, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2026
Some might take issue that actual recordings get used, but given the message this expertly made film so emphatically presents, that haunting voice makes the film all that more powerful, meaningful and dispiriting.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2026
In Week 16, Detroit had a first and goal from the 1-yard line in the final seconds against the Pittsburgh Steelers but failed to score the go-ahead touchdown in a dispiriting loss.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 26 Dec. 2025
Then there’s the somewhat dispiriting fact that stadium-level rock bands are dwindling for younger generations, so much so that these offers to push out older acts are almost done by necessity.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2025
Some folks harbor a dispiriting conviction that governments are unable to handle the simplest task.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 22 Aug. 2025
Let’s establish all of that up front after the Carolina Panthers’ dispiriting, 20-3 exhibition loss at Houston Saturday.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 17 Aug. 2025
Whether driven by social apathy or artistic passion, James—effortlessly played by O’Connor with hangdog elegance—registers as a compelling update of the ’70s American male loner archetype for another dispiriting, directionless time.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2025
Verb
Bay Hill may feel like unfinished business for Morikawa after a dispiriting runner-up finish in 2025.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Mar. 2026
The result was a dispiriting 5-1 shellacking at the hands of a deeply mid Seattle Kraken side.
—Thomas Drance, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2026
For those of Republican persuasion, the coming election should be dispiriting for a party that once ruled the Lake County political roost.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 2 Mar. 2026
All these elements evolved against a dispiriting backdrop.
—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2026
There’s no shortage of dispiriting news, but Wednesday’s gutting of the Washington Post staff was particularly lousy.
—Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 6 Feb. 2026
By studying the moon's size, the chemical makeup of its rocky core and the gravitational forces at work from the gas giant Jupiter, a team of scientists came to a conclusion that may be dispiriting to those searching for life beyond Earth.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 8 Jan. 2026
Navigating the city’s shelter system alone can be dispiriting and fruitless.
—Saumya Roy, The Dial, 6 Jan. 2026
In this dispiriting context, podcasts have grown all the more appealing.
—Thomas Chatterton Williams, The Atlantic, 30 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dispiriting
Adjective
-
The disheartening shift has continued since Katherine, whose name CNN agreed to change to protect her privacy, gave birth to her daughter.—
Kristen Rogers,
CNN Money,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Troy Rice, like most golfers, says few things are more disheartening than slicing the ball on a swing that feels good.—
Zachary Hansen,
AJC.com,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Critics argue that these tactics risk turning ordinary citizens into human shields, discouraging Israeli or American drone strikes or amplifying the civilian cost if attacks occur.—
Pegah Banihashemi,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Instead of listening to and learning from debates, the administration is discouraging them.—
Matteo Wong,
The Atlantic,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The keenness of my letdown was dismaying.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
-
But there’s another side to this story, equally dismaying, which is the abandonment of dissidents as a public cause in the West.—
Bret Stephens,
Mercury News,
12 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Mack and the Chargers’ defense pressured quarterbacks Jalen Hurts of the Eagles and Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs, frustrating them and keeping them out of their comfort zones.—
Elliott Teaford,
Oc Register,
20 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
On the surface, that defeat should have been demoralizing, but the reality was very different.—
Patrick Snell,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026
-
The demoralizing graffiti marring the main entrance to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 360 Lenox Ave.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
12 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
That alone would be disconcerting, but that the line (dubbed the Petrova Line, after the scientist who discovered it) seems to be linked to a new, gradual dimming of the sun?—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
10 Mar. 2026
-
The only disconcerting note for reigning champion Bayern was the withdrawal at halftime of Manuel Neuer.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
My mom is a hairstylist and is on her feet all day, so wearing uncomfortable high heels for hours at a wedding is a daunting task.—
Olivia Dubyak,
InStyle,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Choosing what to perform would seem a daunting task, given the world’s vast musical catalog and how many pieces are required for a show like the Oscars.—
Althea Legaspi,
Rolling Stone,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
And just over two months into this calendar year, at least 11 people have died in ICE detention – a trend that’s sparked concern from those who track these numbers and see them as a troubling indicator of widespread problems in the detention system.—
Catherine E. Shoichet,
CNN Money,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Coming off the muddled, troubling end to the regular season, with two of their best wins, and their two worst losses within the last handful of games, the UConn men needed a play to start the healing process.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dispiriting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dispiriting. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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