plural discouragements
1
: the act of making something less likely to happen or of making people less likely to do something
the discouragement of drug use among teenagers
He joined the army despite discouragement from his parents. [=despite being discouraged from joining by his parents]
2
: a feeling of having lost hope or confidence
She expressed discouragement over the difficulty of finding a good job.
The team's losses have left fans with a feeling of discouragement.
3
: something (such as a failure or difficulty) that discourages someone
He says that the tax is a discouragement to doing business in this state.
Despite the discouragements of the past week, we need to continue moving forward.
Cite this Entry
“Discouragement.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/discouragement. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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