1
as in to paralyze
to deprive of courage or confidence
the mere sight of the forbidding cliffs demoralized the climbers
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to discourage
to lessen the courage or confidence of
we refused to be demoralized by our humiliating defeat and vowed to come roaring back the following week
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3
as in to humiliate
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
felt society as a whole has been demoralized by the widespread availability of pornography
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Recent Examples of demoralize
The apparent goal is to discredit accusers in public — then circulate the smears to their social circles — as well as demoralize adversaries amid legal disputes, forcing quiet settlements on preferred terms.
—
Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 30 Apr. 2026
But in qualifying, that’s another matter, and watching the cars lifting and coasting through the 130R corner at Suzuka in Japan was something that demoralized virtually every race fan this author knows.
—Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 10 Apr. 2026
Colorado played efficiently and, unlike two weeks prior, was rewarded rather than demoralized.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 9 Apr. 2026
The effort to remove Ramos, who was born in Honduras, has drawn backlash from military family advocates, who called the detention demoralizing in a time of war and warned that deporting spouses could undermine recruitment.
—CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for demoralize
Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 30 Apr. 2026
But in qualifying, that’s another matter, and watching the cars lifting and coasting through the 130R corner at Suzuka in Japan was something that demoralized virtually every race fan this author knows.
—Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 10 Apr. 2026
Colorado played efficiently and, unlike two weeks prior, was rewarded rather than demoralized.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 9 Apr. 2026
The effort to remove Ramos, who was born in Honduras, has drawn backlash from military family advocates, who called the detention demoralizing in a time of war and warned that deporting spouses could undermine recruitment.
—CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for demoralize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for demoralize
Verb
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In fact, too much choice often paralyzes decision-making.—
David Meade,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2026
-
Public toilets stopped working, paralyzed without bank payments by mobile internet.—
Mary Ilyushina,
Washington Post,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Candidates often decide within seconds whether a listing feels worth pursuing, so long paragraphs, dense blocks of text and repetitive language can quickly discourage applicants from continuing through the listing.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
18 May 2026
-
Critics say that using it distorts the truth of a performance, but supporters believe that the tech discourages disruptions.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
Verb
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In another case, a witness described discovering the body of a man whose genitals had been severed, lying beside the body of a woman holding them, in what the report described as an apparent effort to degrade and humiliate the victims.—
Amelie Botbol,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
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Those who don’t get the job leave diminished, sometimes humiliated, and the institution absorbs the damage quietly for years.—
Paul Hardart,
Fortune,
9 May 2026
Verb
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Noblet admitted she was intimidated directing Clooney for the first time.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
17 May 2026
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In my opinion, his words were aimed at intimidating female athletes into compliance.—
Jackson Thompson OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
16 May 2026
Verb
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However, some concertgoers said they were frustrated by restrictive views in the floor section, citing the production's tall ramp structures.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
21 May 2026
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Pratt, who gained fame as Montag’s bad boyfriend on the 2000s-era hit The Hills, had been frustrated of late by his inability to get back on the air with his family.—
Gary Baum,
HollywoodReporter,
20 May 2026
Verb
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More than three decades of Arctic exposure have severely degraded many structures.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
20 May 2026
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High heat causes coatings to degrade faster and shortens the lifespan of the pan dramatically.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
20 May 2026
Verb
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But the future Hall of Famer is coming off ACL surgery, might lack mobility, and has a receiving corps that frightens nobody.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
15 May 2026
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This war has been a disaster for them, frightening away foreign investors, tourists and talent and burdening them with a future of huge new defense bills to deter Iran after the United States is gone.—
Thomas L. Friedman,
Mercury News,
15 May 2026
Verb
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The weakened 65-year-old cartel will remain with its five original members—Iran, Iraq, and Venezuela, as well as the Saudis and Kuwaitis—and six oil-producing African nations.—
Jordan Blum,
Fortune,
19 May 2026
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This can weaken and compromise your home’s structural integrity, which could lead to safety hazards and expensive repairs.—
Nafeesah Allen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Demoralize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demoralize. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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