1
as in paralyzes
to deprive of courage or confidence
the mere sight of the forbidding cliffs demoralized the climbers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in discourages
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 degrades
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
felt society as a whole has been demoralized by the widespread availability of pornography
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for demoralizes
Verb
-
This paralyzes executives and creates fatigue.—
Nick Ryan,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025 -
The smaller wasp quickly stings the spider, injecting its powerful venom that does not kill but permanently paralyzes it.—
Ernie Cowan,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Michigan's Department of Natural Resources discourages people from keeping wild animals as pets.—
Natalie Davies,
Freep.com,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Allowing more sunlight in also discourages the growth of mold.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
That performance degrades over time.—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
3 Oct. 2025
-
These help slow down the wear and tear that degrades most traditional joysticks over time.—
Zackery Cuevas,
PC Magazine,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Within my book, one of the things that frightens me most is the fact that with censorship, there’s often not a clear red line, right?—
Fiction Non Fiction
October 2,
Literary Hub,
2 Oct. 2025
-
What specifically frightens you?—
Tim Brinkhof,
Big Think,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
This is part of a business model that has worked for TCU’s regular-season record, but increasingly frustrates fans who want to see a decent matchup in September.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Sep. 2025
-
The sharp jump in investor activity is likely due to their financial strength, which can often combat the state’s legendary low affordability that frustrates the common house hunter.—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
There’s always a moment in which somebody humiliates the villain and now all the love in him is gone.—
Daniel D'Addario,
Variety,
24 Sep. 2025
-
And Sacks, a PayPal Mafia member and veteran Silicon Valley investor, is just the sort of titan of industry this town routinely devours and humiliates — from Rex Tillerson to, well, Elon Musk.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The first time terrifies every founder.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
-
The moped-like sound of the Shaheds whooshing above the rooftops still unsettles but no longer terrifies.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
18 May 2025
Verb
-
Absolute power corrupts absolutely.—
Heidi Stevens,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Aug. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Demoralizes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demoralizes. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share