Synonyms

dishearten

American

[dis-hahr-tn] / dɪsˈhɑr tn /

verb (used with object)

to depress the hope, courage, or spirits of; discourage.

Synonyms:

dismay, dispirit, deject, daunt

dishearten British

/ dɪsˈhɑːtən /

verb

(tr) to weaken or destroy the hope, courage, enthusiasm, etc, of

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of dishearten

First recorded in 1590–1600; dis- ¹ + hearten

Explanation

If someone tells you not to be disheartened, they want you to stay upbeat and positive. Something that brings you down or steals your sense of hope disheartens you. Uncracking the code of the verb dishearten couldn't be easier. Just take it apart, and it quickly reveals its meaning. Dis- is a prefix that means "not, un-, take away." Heart in its figurative sense means love, care, and good feelings. And the -en at the end shows the word is a verb with the sense of causing something to be. So dishearten means "to cause someone's 'heart' to be taken away." We were disheartened by the news of still more home foreclosures.

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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.

Believe me, lines of loving charity Dishearten enemies, encourage friends, And woo enlistment to your ranks, more sure Than the best weapon of the readiest wit, Whose point is venomed with the gall of scorn.

From The Knickerbocker, or New-York Monthly Magazine, May 1844 Volume 23, Number 5 by Clark, Lewis Gaylord

Dishearten, dis-h�rt′n, v.t. to deprive of heart, courage, or spirits: to discourage: to depress.—adjs.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 1 of 4: A-D) by Various

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023