dishearten
verb (used with object)
to depress the hope, courage, or spirits of; discourage.
was disheartening
-
past progressiveof dishearten.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
What we found was disheartening but also motivating.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026
“It was disheartening to not see that in the stadium this year, when there was an even bigger problem going on.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2025
He said the show was "disheartening slander" and he "believed we had moved beyond the lies and ruinous character portrayals of Lyle".
From BBC ● May 14, 2025
The result was as unpopular as it was disheartening: Rural Texans would not have adequate schools for their children.
From Slate ● Nov. 20, 2024
Mom and Dad waited in line with their card for their designated food supply, and it was disheartening to see my parents so powerless.
From "How Dare the Sun Rise" by Sandra Uwiringiyimana
