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
Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
Other times, the long wait for permanent housing proves demoralizing.
—Andrew Khouri, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2026
By the time Ambassador Martin authorized an evacuation, the only way out—since Martin had vetoed a proposal to put refugees on freighters and take them down the Saigon River to the coast (too demoralizing a spectacle)—was by helicopter.
—Louis Menand, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
After the traditionally incredibly dominant US basketball team finished third at the 2004 Athens Olympics, the demoralizing loss forced the best ballers in the country to get serious and learn to work together.
—K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 10 Apr. 2026
The Heat repeatedly allowed open shots and unchallenged forays to the basket in another demoralizing and disgraceful defensive display, one made all the worse by the fact the Heat is fighting for playoff seeding.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2026
Nothing is more demoralizing for a team trying to regain its balance than having its outcome determined by the third inning.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 27 Mar. 2026
On the surface, that defeat should have been demoralizing, but the reality was very different.
—Patrick Snell, CNN Money, 21 Feb. 2026
The demoralizing graffiti marring the main entrance to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 360 Lenox Ave.
—Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 12 Feb. 2026
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
Annual ritual causes anxiety Many have called the annual ritual disruptive to schools and demoralizing to the employees who receive them.
—Edsource, Daily News, 16 Mar. 2026
Add in fashion, an industry practically built on demoralizing vulnerable girls, and what could go wrong?
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2026
Last year, approximately three hundred and fifty-two thousand civil servants left their jobs, fulfilling one of the Administration’s stated goals of dismantling the government bureaucracy and demoralizing the federal workforce.
—Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 17 Feb. 2026
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
Adjective
The injury to his left knee was demoralizing for Edwards, who was showing progress with a right knee injury that had bothered him for most of the previous month.
—Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
Other times, the long wait for permanent housing proves demoralizing.
—Andrew Khouri, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2026
By the time Ambassador Martin authorized an evacuation, the only way out—since Martin had vetoed a proposal to put refugees on freighters and take them down the Saigon River to the coast (too demoralizing a spectacle)—was by helicopter.
—Louis Menand, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
After the traditionally incredibly dominant US basketball team finished third at the 2004 Athens Olympics, the demoralizing loss forced the best ballers in the country to get serious and learn to work together.
—K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 10 Apr. 2026
The Heat repeatedly allowed open shots and unchallenged forays to the basket in another demoralizing and disgraceful defensive display, one made all the worse by the fact the Heat is fighting for playoff seeding.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2026
Nothing is more demoralizing for a team trying to regain its balance than having its outcome determined by the third inning.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 27 Mar. 2026
On the surface, that defeat should have been demoralizing, but the reality was very different.
—Patrick Snell, CNN Money, 21 Feb. 2026
The demoralizing graffiti marring the main entrance to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 360 Lenox Ave.
—Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 12 Feb. 2026
Verb
The effort to remove the soldier’s 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
Annual ritual causes anxiety Many have called the annual ritual disruptive to schools and demoralizing to the employees who receive them.
—Edsource, Daily News, 16 Mar. 2026
Add in fashion, an industry practically built on demoralizing vulnerable girls, and what could go wrong?
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2026
Last year, approximately three hundred and fifty-two thousand civil servants left their jobs, fulfilling one of the Administration’s stated goals of dismantling the government bureaucracy and demoralizing the federal workforce.
—Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 17 Feb. 2026
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
-
And the results are downright discouraging.—
Abby McCloskey,
Twin Cities,
12 Apr. 2026
-
But the growth was slightly slower than economists expected, and a measure of prices accelerated at its fastest pace since 2022 in a potentially discouraging signal for inflation.—
Stan Choe,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
These figures can feel abstract, even paralyzing.—
Ed Gaskin,
Boston Herald,
4 May 2026
-
Lane harrowingly captures the paralyzing fear of being ordinary, while Metcalf will overwhelm you with the sheer emotion of her performance as Willy’s fiercely loyal wife, Linda.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
3 May 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
-
These materials incorporate activatable, plastic-degrading microbes alongside the polymers.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
3 May 2026
-
Some mineral sunscreen manufacturers add UV filters such as butyloctyl salicylic acid and ethylhexyl methoxycrylene to prevent SPF levels from degrading in zinc oxide, which Downs has linked to potential cancer risks and coral toxicity.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
And now this disheartening accounting error.—
Joe Soucheray,
Twin Cities,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Transplant Shock is Avoidable Inviting the opportunity for transplant shock has got to be one of the most disheartening gardening mistakes out there.—
Tessa Cooper,
Southern Living,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Clumsiness notwithstanding, bringing a criminal case against a journalist who was reporting on a protest is an authoritarian tactic—a means of frightening the press away from uncovering the truth.—
Quinta Jurecic,
The Atlantic,
30 Jan. 2026
-
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
Verb
-
In her report, Soto accused Sibrian of allegedly mocking and humiliating her for her accent, immigration status and race and calling her stupid.—
Rachel McRady,
PEOPLE,
1 May 2026
-
State caseworkers have sent an untold number of elders in their care to a coterie of homes with a history of hurting, ignoring or humiliating their residents, records and anguished families say.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Other content, however, could be so disconcerting that it is assumed never to produce meaningful debate, and news outlets (and other platforms) need to make difficult decisions on how to identify and remove such content.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
22 Apr. 2026
-
There are plenty of inconveniences frequent air travelers have become accustomed to, from long security lines to shrinking overhead storage bins, but few are as disconcerting as heavy turbulence in flight.—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Demoralizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demoralizing. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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