discourage

/dɪsˈkɝːɪdʒ/

Say it: dis-KUR-ij

1. verb To cause someone to lose confidence, enthusiasm, or determination.
The team felt discouraged after their third consecutive loss.
2. verb To try to prevent or hinder an action, often by expressing disapproval or creating difficulties.
The high taxes are meant to discourage people from buying imported cars.

📖 Seen in the wild

The high failure rate on the exam might discourage some students from pursuing further studies in the subject.
collected by @vocablast

✏️ discourage in a sentence

Don't be discouraged by the initial complexity; it gets easier with practice.
A series of failed experiments discouraged the research team, but they decided to persevere.
The city has launched a campaign to discourage littering in public parks.
His parents strongly discouraged him from pursuing a career as a musician.
I was discouraged to find that the position had already been filled.
The new regulations will discourage foreign investment.
Her lack of interest was enough to discourage any further attempts at conversation.

🔁 Synonyms & antonyms

dishearten deter dissuade demoralize daunt dispirit intimidate put off

dishearten · focuses on the emotional impact of losing hope or spirit.

deter · implies preventing action by making the consequences seem negative or risky.

dissuade · involves actively persuading someone not to do something, usually with words.

demoralize · suggests destroying the morale or confidence of a group.

Opposites: encourage, inspire, hearten, persuade, motivate

🌱 Where it comes from

The word 'discourage' entered English from Old French 'descoragier'. It's formed from the prefix 'des-', meaning 'away', and 'corage', meaning 'courage' or 'spirit'. So, at its heart, to discourage someone is literally to take their courage away.

🧩 How it's used

Common patterns:

discourage someone from doing somethingstrongly discouragefeel discouraged bydiscourage investmentdiscourage bad behavior

'Discourage' has two primary functions that are important to distinguish. The first is internal, affecting a person's feelings of confidence or motivation. The second is external, referring to actions taken to prevent or hinder a behavior. While 'dissuade' is a close synonym, it specifically implies using persuasion and argument, whereas 'discourage' can be achieved simply by creating an obstacle or a negative atmosphere.

Word family: discouragement, discouraging, discouragingly

💬 Quick answers

What does it mean to discourage someone?

It means to cause them to lose confidence or enthusiasm for something, or to try and prevent an action by making it seem difficult or undesirable.

What is the difference between 'discourage' and 'dissuade'?

To discourage is broader; it can involve making someone lose hope or creating obstacles. To dissuade is more specific, meaning to persuade someone not to do something, typically through advice or argument.

Is 'discourage' a formal word?

No, 'discourage' is a neutral word that is appropriate for both formal and informal contexts, from academic papers to everyday conversation.

What is the noun for 'discourage'?

The noun form is 'discouragement,' which refers to the feeling of losing confidence or the act of discouraging something.

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