1
as in to paralyze
to deprive of courage or confidence
the mere sight of the forbidding cliffs demoralized the climbers
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of demoralize
Colorado played efficiently and, unlike two weeks prior, was rewarded rather than demoralized.
—
Troy Renck, Denver Post, 9 Apr. 2026
The effort to remove the soldierās wife, who was born in Honduras and remained in a federal immigration detention center Monday, has drawn criticism from military family advocates who called the detention demoralizing in a time of war and warned that deporting spouses could undermine recruitment.
—Jack Brook, Los Angeles Times, 7 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
The effort to remove the soldier's wife, who was born in Honduras and remained in a federal immigration detention center Monday, 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.
—Jack Brook, ABC News, 6 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for demoralize
Troy Renck, Denver Post, 9 Apr. 2026
The effort to remove the soldierās wife, who was born in Honduras and remained in a federal immigration detention center Monday, has drawn criticism from military family advocates who called the detention demoralizing in a time of war and warned that deporting spouses could undermine recruitment.
—Jack Brook, Los Angeles Times, 7 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
The effort to remove the soldier's wife, who was born in Honduras and remained in a federal immigration detention center Monday, 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.
—Jack Brook, ABC News, 6 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for demoralize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for demoralize
Verb
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Thousands of North American schools and universities were paralyzed Thursday after a ransomware attack on a key educational software provider.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
8 May 2026
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The man convicted of pushing a woman into a moving New York City subway car, leaving her paralyzed, was sentenced on Wednesday to 20 years in prison.—
Alexa Herrera,
CBS News,
6 May 2026
Verb
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That impulse is alive and well in Californiaās legislature, where instead of confronting allegations that tax dollars are being wasted, Democrats are trying to discourage citizen-journalists from reporting on them.—
Editorial Board,
Washington Post,
11 May 2026
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This tendency, called marcescence, may have developed a few million years ago to discourage large mammals from browsing on trees in winter due to the bitterness of the tannin-rich leaves surrounding buds.—
Luke Miller,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 May 2026
Verb
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Those who donāt get the job leave diminished, sometimes humiliated, and the institution absorbs the damage quietly for years.—
Paul Hardart,
Fortune,
9 May 2026
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Blue is officially fired for injecting a patient with an unapproved drug, and in a devastating twist, he is humiliated by and forced to give his badge back to Richard in front of Catherine (Debbie Allen).—
Max Gao,
Variety,
8 May 2026
Verb
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The massive frame and comically long wingspan of Victor Wembanyama seemed to intimidate Randle, who spent most possessions either deferring to his teammates or forcing his own shot.—
Dane Mizutani,
Twin Cities,
9 May 2026
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To stand a chance, CĆ®rstea had to refuse to be intimidated by Sabalenkaās phenomenally powerful hitting and considerable aura.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
9 May 2026
Verb
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As mentioned, lounges are often overcrowded, and taking up more than your fair share of space can frustrate fellow travelers.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
13 May 2026
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Prices are rising at a time when Americans are already frustrated by the high cost of living.—
Paul Wiseman,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
Verb
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While those also degrade over time, there are a few structures, like bone and teeth, that are very robust and protect proteins from the environment.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
13 May 2026
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For people with diabetes, heat degrades temperatureāsensitive medications and makes blood sugar harder to control.—
Anthony Nicome,
STAT,
13 May 2026
Verb
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The Lord in your convent frightened me, Jesus with his bloody palms and gaping mouth, eyes rolled back in terror.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 May 2026
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How To Keep Skunks Away From Your Yard There are no effective repellants or devices that frighten skunks away.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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As consumer activity has weakened, the central bank has warned about the growing misalignment between real sentiment and headline GDP growth.—
Stephanie Yang,
CNN Money,
12 May 2026
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Heat can shrink fabrics, fade colors and weaken elastic fibers, which shortens the life of garments that would otherwise hold up for years.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Demoralize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demoralize. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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