as in discouraging
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1
as in paralyzing
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 frustrating
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in degrading
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 demoralizing
Kevin Breuninger,dan Mangan, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2025
The Jays were able to put their demoralizing, 18-inning loss the night before behind them as the bats came back to life.
—Kendall Capps, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
The work—in a way, a series of encounters with random elements of one-click consumerism, including coloring books and marketing guides for dentists—is tedious, repetitive, and demoralizing.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2025
The loss was more demoralizing than being held to just 11 rushing yards.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2025
Juzang went 6-for-8 from 3-point range in a 135-134 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night, igniting the Wolves after a demoralizing first half against the defending Eastern Conference champions.
—Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
The first came at a demoralizing time for the Patriots’ offense.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 21 Sep. 2025
The Indianapolis City-County Council is nearing a key vote that will end in either a demoralizing defeat for Google or the city approving a major data center against the wishes of the councilor and residents on the southeast side of the city.
—Alysa Guffey, IndyStar, 19 Sep. 2025
What was meant to be motivating becomes demoralizing.
—George Bradt, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
The Athletic Nba Staff, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2025
The big pass plays were demoralizing to a Kansas squad trying to engineer a comeback most of the game.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
Despite suffering demoralizing losses in 2024 and grappling with persistently low approval ratings, Democrats have reasons to be optimistic about the 2026 cycle.
—Kevin Breuninger,dan Mangan, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2025
The Jays were able to put their demoralizing, 18-inning loss the night before behind them as the bats came back to life.
—Kendall Capps, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
The work—in a way, a series of encounters with random elements of one-click consumerism, including coloring books and marketing guides for dentists—is tedious, repetitive, and demoralizing.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2025
The loss was more demoralizing than being held to just 11 rushing yards.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2025
Juzang went 6-for-8 from 3-point range in a 135-134 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night, igniting the Wolves after a demoralizing first half against the defending Eastern Conference champions.
—Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
The first came at a demoralizing time for the Patriots’ offense.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 21 Sep. 2025
The Indianapolis City-County Council is nearing a key vote that will end in either a demoralizing defeat for Google or the city approving a major data center against the wishes of the councilor and residents on the southeast side of the city.
—Alysa Guffey, IndyStar, 19 Sep. 2025
What was meant to be motivating becomes demoralizing.
—George Bradt, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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
The big pass plays were demoralizing to a Kansas squad trying to engineer a comeback most of the game.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 25 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for demoralizing
Adjective
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If the gap between self and fitfluencer seems too wide, comparisons become discouraging, not motivating.—
Abby Frank,
The Conversation,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Nothing creates a discouraging organizational structure more than uncertainty.—
Josh Browning,
Big Think,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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At the end of his first year as CEO, a blizzard known as Winter Storm Elliott triggered an operational meltdown, stranding thousands of Southwest customers at the height of the holiday season, paralyzing the company’s point-to-point network, and plunging the company into a profit-killing crisis.—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
9 Jan. 2026
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No matter the scenario, Victor portrays PTSD as a paralyzing force with accuracy and grace—an all-too-rare combination.—
Hannah Jackson,
Vogue,
29 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Mack and the Chargers’ defense pressured quarterbacks Jalen Hurts of the Eagles and Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs, frustrating them and keeping them out of their comfort zones.—
Elliott Teaford,
Oc Register,
20 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The information ecosystem is degrading more each moment.—
Damon Beres,
The Atlantic,
5 Jan. 2026
-
Under Budanov, the GUR expanded its operational footprint, coordinating intelligence, sabotage and special operations aimed at degrading Russian military capabilities far beyond the front lines.—
Illia Novikov,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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To vocalize the belief that the lawsuit was partisan politics instead of concerned citizens speaking up, is very disheartening.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
7 Jan. 2026
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And if that weren’t bad enough, Kansas City got some disheartening injury news after the game that will make quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ life even more difficult.—
Michael Gallagher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Nov. 2025
Verb
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But monks there complained that the slain king was walking around at night, frightening them with strange sounds.—
Rivka Galchen,
New Yorker,
7 Jan. 2026
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Kids will love sending this Dilophosaurus sauntering across the floor, frightening everything and everyone in his path.—
Pamela Brill,
Parents,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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This announcement, humiliating the involved member, is harmful.—
Kelly G. Richardson,
Oc Register,
29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Cellos and basses may be rumbling along on a frighteningly low melody, as the woodwinds are pecking like a riot in a chicken coop, while the high strings are sustaining a cluster of odd, disconcerting notes.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
29 Dec. 2025
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The macro view is more disconcerting.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Demoralizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demoralizing. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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