demoralize

[ dih-mawr-uh-lahyz, -mor- ]
See synonyms for: demoralizedemoralizeddemoralizing on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object),de·mor·al·ized, de·mor·al·iz·ing.
  1. to deprive (a person or persons) of spirit, courage, discipline, etc.; destroy the morale of: The continuous barrage demoralized the infantry.

  2. to throw (a person) into disorder or confusion; bewilder: We were so demoralized by that one wrong turn that we were lost for hours.

  1. to corrupt or undermine the morals of.

Origin of demoralize

1
From the French word démoraliser, dating back to 1785–95. See de-, moral, -ize
  • Also especially British, de·mor·al·ise .

Other words from demoralize

  • de·mor·al·i·za·tion, noun
  • de·mor·al·iz·er, noun
  • de·mor·al·iz·ing·ly, adverb

Words Nearby demoralize

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use demoralize in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for demoralize

demoralize

demoralise

/ (dɪˈmɒrəˌlaɪz) /


verb(tr)
  1. to undermine the morale of; dishearten: he was demoralized by his defeat

  2. to debase morally; corrupt

  1. to throw into confusion

Derived forms of demoralize

  • demoralization or demoralisation, noun
  • demoralizer or demoraliser, noun

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