Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

discountenance

noun

Synonyms and Antonyms of discountenance

refusal to accept as right or desirable
  • made known his long-standing discountenance of any form of religious belief
Synonyms of discountenance

deprecation, disapprobation, disapproval, disesteem, disfavor, dislike, displeasure
Words Related to discountenance

disrelish, distaste

rejection, thumbs-down

blame, censure, condemnation, criticism, denunciation, dispraise, opprobrium, reprehension, reproach, reprobation

antagonism, antipathy, hostility

belittlement, disparagement, objection, opposition
Near Antonyms of discountenance

acclaim, commendation, praise

endorsement (also indorsement), sanction, thumbs-up

empathy, sympathy
Antonyms of discountenance

approbation, approval, favor

discountenance

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of discountenance

1 to hold an unfavorable opinion of
  • a social philosopher who discountenanced all programs for helping the needy, claiming that society should encourage survival of the fittest
Synonyms of discountenance

deprecate, disapprove (of), disesteem, disfavor, dislike, frown (on or upon), mislike, reprove, tsk-tsk, tut (over or about), tut-tut (over or about)
Words Related to discountenance

disrelish, object (to), pooh-pooh (also pooh), reject, reprehend, reprobate, scorn

censure, condemn, criticize, denounce, discommend

chide, rebuke, reproach, scold
Phrases Synonymous with discountenance

look down one's nose (on)
Near Antonyms of discountenance

endorse (also indorse), sanction, support

adore, delight (in), dig, enjoy, fancy, groove (on), love, relish, revel (in)
Antonyms of discountenance

approve, favor, like
2 to throw into a state of self-conscious distress
  • the political party was discountenanced by the actions of a few of its overly zealous members
Synonyms of discountenance

abash, confound, confuse, discomfit, disconcert, embarrass, faze, fluster, mortify, nonplus, rattle
Words Related to discountenance

agitate, bother, chagrin, discomfort, discompose, dismay, disquiet, distress, disturb, perturb, put off, put out, unhinge, unsettle, upset

debase, degrade, demean, humble, humiliate, queer, shame
Near Antonyms of discountenance

calm, comfort, console, relieve, soothe

buoy, cheer, embolden, encourage, hearten

assure, reassure

Learn More about discountenance

  1. Dictionary: Definition of discountenance

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up discountenance? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show comments hide comments

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

canker

Listen to the pronounciation of canker

to corrupt or become corrupted

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. mendacious, mendacity George Conway calls Trump a liar

  2. crawdad New novel makes waves

  3. non sequitur, sequitur Manafort judge addresses defense

SEE ALL

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games