Synonyms

lose heart

Idioms

Become discouraged, as in The rescuers worked hard for the first few hours, but then they lost heart. This term uses heart in the sense of “courage” or “spirit.” [Mid-1800s] Also see lose one's heart to.

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.

He told the group’s members not to lose heart.

From Washington Times • Oct. 15, 2022

Until recently, Natalya said, her husband had begun to lose heart.

From New York Times • Jul. 25, 2022

Referencing a passage, she encouraged people to "not lose heart."

From Fox News • Aug. 18, 2021

His main advice when things go wrong is not to lose heart and to accept that learning might be slow.

From BBC • Dec. 5, 2020

But I will lose heart for the telling if you don’t wake up, Djo.

From "Taste of Salt: A Story of Modern Haiti" by Frances Temple

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