demoralize
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to deprive (a person or persons) of spirit, courage, discipline, etc.; destroy the morale of.
The continuous barrage demoralized the infantry.
-
to throw (a person) into disorder or confusion; bewilder.
We were so demoralized by that one wrong turn that we were lost for hours.
-
to corrupt or undermine the morals of.
verb
-
to undermine the morale of; dishearten
he was demoralized by his defeat
-
to debase morally; corrupt
-
to throw into confusion
Other Word Forms
- demoralization noun
- demoralizer noun
- demoralizingly adverb
Etymology
Origin of demoralize
From the French word démoraliser, dating back to 1785–95. See de-, moral, -ize
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
And within hours of arriving in Buffalo Creek and talking to the displaced and demoralized locals, Erikson knew he’d be doing the study himself.
It also would all but destroy Detroit’s immediate chances, demoralize the clubhouse and likely alienate a fan base desperate to see the Tigers win their first title since 1984.
Atlanta, coming off a demoralizing loss to the Jets, is losing confidence by the week.
From Los Angeles Times
Alzheimer’s, like many progressive diseases, is, by turns, heart-wrenching, demoralizing and draining.
The plan was to demoralize war-weary, homesick troops scattered around the Pacific theater.
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
