Synonyms

disheartening

American

[dis-hahr-tn-ing] / dɪsˈhɑr tn ɪŋ /

adjective

depressing a person’s hope, courage, or spirits; discouraging.

It's been disheartening to see some of her old habits and fears returning, even though they aren't as bad as when she was much younger.

Other Word Forms

dishearteningly

adverb

Etymology

Origin of disheartening

dishearten ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. )

Explanation

Something disheartening causes you to lose your confidence or enthusiasm. It's disheartening when your basketball team loses four games in a row. Breaking disheartening down to its parts, you can see the dis- prefix, meaning "not" or "take away," and the figurative heart, "good feelings or courage." While a heartening message from your pen pal cheers you up, anything disheartening does the opposite. A disheartening grade on your big English paper brings you down, and disheartening news can make your whole family feel a little depressed. If it's disheartening, it's a bummer.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

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.

Disheartening to the Federal Farm Board were figures on the 1931 winter wheat crop, issued last week by the Department of Agriculture.

From Time Magazine Archive

Disheartening as this dash of cold water might be to Europe's neutralists and for-lorn-hopers, Russia's tough words were considered downright encouraging in some ways by Western diplomats.

From Time Magazine Archive

Disheartening as De Gaulle's long view might seem to many of his countrymen, nothing else seemed to promise quicker relief.

From Time Magazine Archive

Disheartening though this information was, the convention voted to continue its activities.

From Time Magazine Archive

Disheartening as the information was, it did not decrease the interest of Noel when late in October his division was ordered to move toward Virginia.

From The Young Sharpshooter at Antietam by Tomlinson, Everett T. (Everett Titsworth)

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