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definitions

discouragement

[dih-skur-ij-muhnt, -skuhr-]
See more synonyms for discouragement on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. an act or instance of discouraging.
  2. the state of being discouraged.
  3. something that discourages: Poor health and poverty are grave discouragements.

Origin of discouragement

1555–65; < Middle French descouragement, Old French descoragement. See discourage, -ment
Related formso·ver·dis·cour·age·ment, nounpre·dis·cour·age·ment, noun

Synonyms for discouragement

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2. depression, dejection, hopelessness. 3. deterrent, damper, impediment, obstacle, obstruction.

Synonym study

2. See despair.

Antonyms for discouragement

1–3. encouragement.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for discouragement

pessimism, hopelessness, dismay, melancholy, dejection, sadness, despair, disappointment, discomfiture, depression, bar, constraint, damper, setback, obstacle, curb, opposition, hindrance, impediment, deterrent

Examples from the Web for discouragement

Historical Examples of discouragement

  • I have worked harder than ever I did and discouragement has slapped me on the face.

    Ballads of a Bohemian

    Robert W. Service

  • She said this violently, but she let her clasped hands fall in discouragement.

    The Secret Agent

    Joseph Conrad

  • He has his orders, and would be marked for discouragement if he overstepped them.

  • The inutility of these attempts proved no manner of discouragement to the Spaniards.

    The History of Louisiana

    Le Page Du Pratz

  • He became calmer, allowing his arms to fall by his side in discouragement.

    The Downfall

    Emile Zola