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
Just as the 1905 defeat demoralized the military, the withdrawal of Soviet Army forces in 1989 also demoralized the military, and the war eroded public trust.
—
Peter Suciu, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
The drill was part of an intensifying military pressure campaign to intimidate the Taiwanese leadership, demoralize the population, and wear down the island’s resistance to unification with the mainland.
—Andy Browne, semafor.com, 15 Jan. 2026
Bangladeshi civil society welcomed rhetorical support for its democracy but was demoralized by Washington’s reluctance to act decisively.
—Muhib Rahman, Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2025
On the inbound, Gary Payton found a cutting Fisher, who turned and heaved a miracle 18-footer at the buzzer, demoralizing the Spurs.
—The Athletic Nba Staff, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for demoralize
Peter Suciu, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
The drill was part of an intensifying military pressure campaign to intimidate the Taiwanese leadership, demoralize the population, and wear down the island’s resistance to unification with the mainland.
—Andy Browne, semafor.com, 15 Jan. 2026
Bangladeshi civil society welcomed rhetorical support for its democracy but was demoralized by Washington’s reluctance to act decisively.
—Muhib Rahman, Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2025
On the inbound, Gary Payton found a cutting Fisher, who turned and heaved a miracle 18-footer at the buzzer, demoralizing the Spurs.
—The Athletic Nba Staff, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for demoralize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for demoralize
Verb
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Chávez was also 14 when he was shot and paralyzed during a robbery by gang members.—
Nicole Acevedo,
NBC news,
7 Mar. 2026
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Tanker traffic has ground to a near halt, 20% of global supply has been paralyzed, and the old-world energy order has been shaken.—
Siddharth Misra,
Fortune,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The American Academy of Pediatrics discourages digital media for children younger than 18 months, except for video chatting.—
Miriam Fauzia,
Dallas Morning News,
2 Mar. 2026
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City officials say the goal is to discourage prolonged property neglect and promote compliance with property maintenance standards.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But no one here is out to humiliate anyone, which is nasty and unkind and not at all the sort of humor Lawrence trades in.—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2026
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Walz and Ellison were humiliated and could not account for their blundering.—
Joe Soucheray,
Twin Cities,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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That was incredibly intimidating to me.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
8 Mar. 2026
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The spa also feels high-end without being intimidating—my facialist answered all my questions while providing a calming, nearly ASMR experience.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Californians are increasingly aware of this imbalance and frustrated about it.—
Jerry McNerney,
Mercury News,
4 Mar. 2026
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There’s resistance to filmmakers coming in and telling the story of bears dying from climate change, and this trope that Inuit are frustrated by, and rightfully so.—
Christopher Vourlias,
Variety,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Carbon fiber offers high strength but requires high energy consumption to produce and is difficult to degrade.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Mar. 2026
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How Long Potting Soil Lasts Potting soil typically degrades after nine to 12 months once the bag is opened and can last up to two years when unopened, says Scott.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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His dribbling, direct running style and finishing frighten defenders and light up the biggest stages.—
The Athletic Staff,
New York Times,
3 Mar. 2026
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The piercing sunlight frightens her.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Although weakened, the factions still survive, and could form a powerful, transnational and motivated insurgency when the time comes to fight whatever emerges if the Islamic Republic falls.—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Mar. 2026
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Several bills that had been filed in the state Senate and House of Representatives, which critics have warned would weaken reporting and training standards for the Department of Child and Family Services, have been put on hold, according to state officials.—
Joseph States,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Demoralize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demoralize. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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