dishearten

American  

[dis-hahr-tn] / dɪsˈhɑr tn /

verb (used with object)

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

   Synonyms:

   dismay, dispirit, deject, daunt

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dishearten British  

/ dɪsˈhɑːtən /

verb

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

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Other Word Forms

• disheartener noun
• dishearteningly adverb
• disheartenment noun

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.

Example Sentences

Many young voters say that would dishearten them.

From Barron's • Feb. 3, 2026

I began to wonder what we were going to find in this wasteland, but I didn’t want to say anything to dishearten Duncan.

From Seattle Times • May 24, 2024

In “On Fire,” Naomi Klein’s purpose is not to dishearten but to awaken us to the growing global movement called the Green New Deal.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 31, 2023

Each day, 22 people die in want of organs, which should dishearten all Americans.

From Washington Post • Mar. 31, 2023

“Do not be dishearten, young bahss. Today, we will be foun, to be true.”

From "The Cay" by Theodore Taylor

Related Words

• daunt
• deject
• demoralize
• deter
• discourage
• dismay
• dispirit
• humble
• humiliate