discouraged

[dih-skur-ijd, -skuhr-]

adjective

1. deprived of or lacking in courage, hope, or confidence.

   The discouraged writer discarded the poem, but it was retrieved by a young soldier who sent it off for publication.

   Another discouraged mother reported that she had no friends with whom to share childcare duties.

2. dissuaded or obstructed from doing something.

   A third of the discouraged firms would probably have qualified for loans had they applied.

   A discouraged worker is one who wants to work but is not looking for a job because of a perceived lack of demand.

3. disapproved of.

   Climbing on the safety railing is a strongly discouraged activity.

   We consider payday lenders to be a discouraged industry.

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of discourage.

Other Word Forms

• undiscouraged adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of discouraged¹

discourage ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

If women are discouraged from eating a lot then it’s equally true that they are criticized for having ambition.

Read more on Salon

Tylenol is already discouraged for treating minor aches and pains during pregnancy.

Read more on Salon

"We are facing great tyranny," he said, "but… I will not be discouraged."

Read more on BBC

The leader of Swindon Borough Council, Jim Robbins, has said that he welcomes discussion on immigration but has discouraged people from protesting outside the town's one asylum hotel.

Read more on BBC

Among a population of veterans who have a high incidence of mental and physical debilities, some get discouraged and drop out of the process.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• crestfallen 
• depressed 
• dismayed 
• pessimistic