discourage
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to deprive of courage, hope, or confidence; dishearten; dispirit.
- Antonyms:
- encourage
-
to dissuade (usually followed byfrom ).
-
to obstruct by opposition or difficulty; hinder.
Low prices discourage industry.
-
to express or make clear disapproval of; frown upon.
to discourage the expression of enthusiasm.
verb (used without object)
verb
-
to deprive of the will to persist in something
-
to inhibit; prevent
this solution discourages rust
-
to oppose by expressing disapproval
Synonym Usage
Discourage, dismay, intimidate mean to dishearten or frighten. To discourage is to dishearten by expressing disapproval or by suggesting that a contemplated action or course will probably fail: He was discouraged from going into business. To dismay is to dishearten completely: Her husband's philandering dismayed her. To intimidate is to frighten, as by threats of force, violence, or dire consequences: to intimidate a witness.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
undiscourageableadjective
-
prediscourageverb (used with object)
-
overdiscourageverb (used with object)
-
discouragernoun
-
discourageableadjective
-
undiscouragingadjective
-
undiscouraginglyadverb
-
discouraginglyadverb
-
discouragementnoun
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
have discouragedperfect
-
has discouragedperfect 3rd person singular
-
am discouragingprogressive 1st person singular
-
discouragingparticiple
-
is discouragingprogressive 3rd person singular
-
are discouragingprogressive
-
have been discouragingperfect progressive
-
has been discouragingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
-
discouragessingular 3rd person
Past
-
had discouragedperfect
-
had been discouragingperfect progressive
-
discouragedparticiple
-
were discouragingprogressive plural
-
discouragedsimple
-
was discouragingprogressive singular
Future
Etymology
Origin of discourage
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English discoragen, from Middle French descorager, Old French descoragier; see dis- 1, courage
Explanation
If your friend is thinking about quitting her job and moving to the Peruvian Andes to raise llamas, you might discourage her by pointing out that she’s allergic to llamas and also afraid of heights. When you discourage someone, you try to talk them out of doing something, by pointing out reasons why their planned action would be unwise. The verb discourage has roots in the French word descouragier, which comes from des-, meaning “away,” and corage, or “courage.” So when you discourage someone, you can think of it as taking his courage — or enthusiasm — away.
Vocabulary lists containing discourage
"Creativity at Work" and "The Hidden Secrets of the Creative Mind"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"Curtis Aikens and the American Dream" and "Go For It!"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
List 4
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Fidelity will let investors off the hook by day 16, but most other brokers discourage flipping for 30 calendar days.
From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026
Higher interest rates do not fix any of them — and by raising the cost of capital, they discourage the investment that would, such as automation.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 6, 2026
A survey by the Sutton Trust published in March found 41% of primary and secondary school leaders believe some schools actively discourage applications from pupils with SEND.
From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026
The incentive program is intended to discourage regulated industries from leaving the state.
From Los Angeles Times • May 30, 2026
Some parents tried in vain to discourage their children from joining.
From "Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
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.
