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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of demoralizing
Nick Friedell, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2026
Winfrey shared the demoralizing experience in her 2017 cookbook, Food, Health, and Happiness.
—Avalon Hester, PEOPLE, 31 Dec. 2025
Jackson eventually set out to find space in a local shelter – a demoralizing process in which she was constantly met by closed doors and stifling bureaucracy.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 28 Dec. 2025
The Gators, meanwhile, are coming off the back of a demoralizing defeat to Tennessee last weekend and can afford to throw caution to the wind in pursuit of the slightest glimmer of hope to end the campaign.
—Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Nov. 2025
The Flames, coming off what could have been a demoralizing loss in Tampa, scored the next four goals and held on for a 5-3 win over the Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena.
—George Richards, Miami Herald, 29 Nov. 2025
President Bush saw the situation as an opportunity to reassert American power abroad after the demoralizing experience of the Vietnam War.
—Time, 25 Nov. 2025
In the meantime, it’s been incredibly demoralizing to try to limit her own energy usage — sometimes sacrificing comfort in cold and hot seasons — all while seeing her costs go up.
—Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 14 Nov. 2025
One thing that was extraordinarily demoralizing about this process was that we got rejected from every mainstream festival that wasn’t overtly LGBTQ.
—Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 10 Nov. 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
So, very demoralizing, devastating to lose anyone’s life, especially in that manner.
—Nick Friedell, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2026
Winfrey shared the demoralizing experience in her 2017 cookbook, Food, Health, and Happiness.
—Avalon Hester, PEOPLE, 31 Dec. 2025
Jackson eventually set out to find space in a local shelter – a demoralizing process in which she was constantly met by closed doors and stifling bureaucracy.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 28 Dec. 2025
The Gators, meanwhile, are coming off the back of a demoralizing defeat to Tennessee last weekend and can afford to throw caution to the wind in pursuit of the slightest glimmer of hope to end the campaign.
—Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Nov. 2025
The Flames, coming off what could have been a demoralizing loss in Tampa, scored the next four goals and held on for a 5-3 win over the Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena.
—George Richards, Miami Herald, 29 Nov. 2025
President Bush saw the situation as an opportunity to reassert American power abroad after the demoralizing experience of the Vietnam War.
—Time, 25 Nov. 2025
In the meantime, it’s been incredibly demoralizing to try to limit her own energy usage — sometimes sacrificing comfort in cold and hot seasons — all while seeing her costs go up.
—Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 14 Nov. 2025
One thing that was extraordinarily demoralizing about this process was that we got rejected from every mainstream festival that wasn’t overtly LGBTQ.
—Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 10 Nov. 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
-
Their status has been diminished by what has — charitably — been a really discouraging decade, featuring two separate relegations.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
9 Jan. 2026
-
High taxes squeeze margins and send a discouraging signal to firms.—
Andrew Rein,
New York Daily News,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The region is grappling with a winter storm that is paralyzing activity in the area with freezing precipitation on its roads, discouraging shoppers from heading out to stores.—
Brian Womack,
Dallas Morning News,
24 Jan. 2026
-
An inspiration to all is assistant manager of excursions Kineret Munoz, who hasn’t let a paralyzing car accident dampen her spirit of adventure one little bit.—
Sarah Marshall,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
The issue has intensified in recent years and is only set to get worse, as the relentless expansion of urban centres brings artificial light further into the countryside, permeating and degrading our view of the heavens.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
28 Jan. 2026
-
These combined factors are degrading the city’s healthcare system.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
If right, their conclusion implies a disheartening lesson amid the otherwise-welcome news.—
Charles Fain Lehman,
The Atlantic,
20 Jan. 2026
-
Dallas is coming off a disheartening loss on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Lightning and has lost 10 of its last 12 games.—
SportsDay Staff,
Dallas Morning News,
19 Jan. 2026
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
-
Kids will love sending this Dilophosaurus sauntering across the floor, frightening everything and everyone in his path.—
Pamela Brill,
Parents,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
This announcement, humiliating the involved member, is harmful.—
Kelly G. Richardson,
Oc Register,
29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Fitting a narrow criteria There’s a more disconcerting reason why so few applied — DeSantis’ exceedingly narrow preference for right-wing soulmates and fellow members of the Federalist Society.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Stray Hairs Stray hairs lingering in the tub drain, on the floor, or in the sink can be quite disconcerting.—
Lauren Landers,
The Spruce,
19 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Demoralizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demoralizing. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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