discourage

verb

dis·​cour·​age di-ˈskər-ij 

-ˈskə-rij

discouraged; discouraging

transitive verb

1

: to deprive of courage or confidence : dishearten

was discouraged by repeated failure

2

a

: to hinder by disfavoring

trying to discourage absenteeism

b

: to dissuade or attempt to dissuade from doing something

tried to discourage her from going

discourageable

di-ˈskər-i-jə-bəl 

-ˈskə-ri-

adjective

discourager noun

discouragingly

di-ˈskər-i-jiŋ-lē 

-ˈkə-ri-

adverb

Synonyms of discourage

• frustrate
• intimidate
• daunt
• frighten

Examples of discourage in a Sentence

Try not to let losing discourage you.

The area's dry climate discourages agriculture.

He claims the new regulations will discourage investment.

That type of behavior ought to be discouraged.

Recent Examples on the Web

And whatever happened to public campaigns to discourage speeding? —Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 14 Mar. 2026

Create a wide buffer of bare, dry soil around the garden to discourage more cutworms from entering. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2026

Things got a little out of control with crazy crowds and scores of under-age drinkers, so the city kicked out MTV and tried to discourage spring breakers from coming. —Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Mar. 2026

The divergence owes partly to the fact that Vancouver’s tax code discourages rentals, as the researcher Margaret Morales has argued, but also to Seattle’s conventionally American cocktail of regulations, which heavily discourages condominiums. —M. Nolan Gray, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English discoragen, from Middle French descorager, from Old French descoragier, from des- dis- + corage courage

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for discourage

• demurrage
• encourage
• burrage
• courage

Kids Definition

discourage

verb

dis·​cour·​age dis-ˈkər-ij 

-ˈkə-rij

discouraged; discouraging

1

: to lessen the courage or confidence of : dishearten

didn't let losing discourage me

2

a

: to make less likely or appealing : deter

laws that discourage speeding

b

: to advise against a course of action : dissuade

discouraged careless work

discouragingly

-iŋ-lē 

adverb