demoralize
verb
de·mor·al·ize
di-ˈmȯr-ə-ˌlīz 
ˌdē-,
-ˈmär-
demoralized; demoralizing; demoralizes
1
: to cause to turn aside or away from what is good or true or morally right : to corrupt the morals of
2
a
: to weaken the morale of : discourage, dispirit
were demoralized by the loss
b
: to upset or destroy the normal functioning of
foreclosures were further demoralizing an already desperate real-estate market—
F. D. Roosevelt
F. D. Roosevelt
c
: to throw into disorder
Examples of demoralize in a Sentence
the mere sight of the forbidding cliffs demoralized the climbers
we refused to be demoralized by our humiliating defeat and vowed to come roaring back the following week
Recent Examples on the Web
Stringent management of the PLA and the relentlessness of Xi’s anticorruption campaign is probably both humiliating and demoralizing for senior officers.
—Jonathan A. Czin, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2025
The demoralizing blowout was tough to take for Seminole.
—Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Aug. 2025
According to a friend who works at Social Security, top leaders have quit, staff is demoralized and many are concerned about DOGE personnel accessing our personal data, violating security protocols and pushing a complete and rapid overhaul of the entire computer systems.
—Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2025
If team owners could influence scorekeeping, fans would lose interest, players would be demoralized and sponsors would back away as public trust collapses.
—Brent Dykes, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for demoralize
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Jonathan A. Czin, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2025
The demoralizing blowout was tough to take for Seminole.
—Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Aug. 2025
According to a friend who works at Social Security, top leaders have quit, staff is demoralized and many are concerned about DOGE personnel accessing our personal data, violating security protocols and pushing a complete and rapid overhaul of the entire computer systems.
—Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2025
If team owners could influence scorekeeping, fans would lose interest, players would be demoralized and sponsors would back away as public trust collapses.
—Brent Dykes, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for demoralize
Cite this Entry
“Demoralize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/demoralize. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
demoralize
verb
de·mor·al·ize
di-ˈmȯr-ə-ˌlīz
-ˈmär-
1
: to make bad or evil
2
: to weaken in spirit or discipline
fear demoralized the army
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