1
as in to frustrate
to lessen the courage or confidence of
I didn't let losing discourage me from trying again
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to dissuade
to steer (a person) from an activity or course of action
the higher fines may help discourage drivers from speeding on the highway
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of discourage
Davis was discouraged and called his insurer's patient advocate.
—
Sydney Lupkin, NPR, 14 June 2026
Some homeowners claim the soap's strong scent can help discourage skunks from lingering near flower beds, garbage cans and other areas around the home.
—Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 14 June 2026
One is that prohibitions on gambling protect the integrity of athletic competitions and discourage athletes from partaking in a sports betting culture where data suggests numerous college students wager on sports.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 13 June 2026
That threatens to send cattle prices even higher and discourage the rebuilding of the US cattle herd.
—Ilena Peng, Fortune, 13 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for discourage
Sydney Lupkin, NPR, 14 June 2026
Some homeowners claim the soap's strong scent can help discourage skunks from lingering near flower beds, garbage cans and other areas around the home.
—Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 14 June 2026
One is that prohibitions on gambling protect the integrity of athletic competitions and discourage athletes from partaking in a sports betting culture where data suggests numerous college students wager on sports.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 13 June 2026
That threatens to send cattle prices even higher and discourage the rebuilding of the US cattle herd.
—Ilena Peng, Fortune, 13 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for discourage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discourage
Verb
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The move royally frustrated Senate Republicans.—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
17 June 2026
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Who wouldn’t be frustrated after watching a team leave more than 30 runners on base over the last few days?—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
17 June 2026
Verb
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Altering that process significantly enough to ease that bottleneck would likely come with other trade-offs, experts said, such as earlier deadlines to turn in certain ballots or more time-consuming ballot drop-offs — either of which might dissuade some voters from showing up.—
Grace Toohey,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2026
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Such gaps between word and deed do not dissuade investors – leading me to think of the following question.—
Peter Cohan,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Verb
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Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said this posed a threat to maritime security and accused the EU of intimidating civilian vessels.—
Azhar Sukri,
CNBC,
14 June 2026
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Some of the greatest triumphs and moments of satisfaction come from pursuing those things that are really intimidating.—
Chanel Vargas,
InStyle,
14 June 2026
Verb
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More than 60 local, county and state law enforcement agencies in places where the games will be held recently completed a first-of-its-kind federal training program to help detect and deter the unauthorized presence of drones near World Cup sites and related fan events.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
12 June 2026
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Its anti-theft features include locking zippers that deter thieves, cut-resistant straps, and an interior that’s built with RFID protection.—
Jasmine Gomez,
Travel + Leisure,
11 June 2026
Verb
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Sorting through piles of jewelry can feel daunting because many pieces look similar.—
Olivia McIntosh,
Martha Stewart,
6 June 2026
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As ballot returns continue to trickle in after Tuesday’s primary for governor, Democrat Tom Steyer faces daunting math to reach the general election.—
Ben Paviour,
Sacbee.com,
4 June 2026
Verb
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What frightens scientists more than the sheer numbers are that the cuts are arbitrary and manifestly pernicious.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
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Dolma told me that when the wind turbines were being built, their noise frightened her livestock and carried across the valley, disturbing neighbors during windy times.—
Sanggay Tashi,
The Conversation,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Discourage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discourage. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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