1
as in to frustrate
to lessen the courage or confidence of
I didn't let losing discourage me from trying again
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to dissuade
to steer (a person) from an activity or course of action
the higher fines may help discourage drivers from speeding on the highway
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of discourage
That’s not to discourage an actor from trying something new or playing against type, but any bold cinematic bets become a whole lot riskier with a $50 million price tag.
—
Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 6 Oct. 2025
In fact, immunization is a dicey-enough financial proposition that the administration’s anti-vaccine policies already are discouraging providers from stocking some immunizations.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 3 Oct. 2025
Michigan's Department of Natural Resources discourages people from keeping wild animals as pets.
—Natalie Davies, Freep.com, 2 Oct. 2025
The robot itself weighs 350 pounds and stands nearly five feet tall—which its creators hope will discourage anyone from messing with it.
—Sam Klebanov, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for discourage
Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 6 Oct. 2025
In fact, immunization is a dicey-enough financial proposition that the administration’s anti-vaccine policies already are discouraging providers from stocking some immunizations.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 3 Oct. 2025
Michigan's Department of Natural Resources discourages people from keeping wild animals as pets.
—Natalie Davies, Freep.com, 2 Oct. 2025
The robot itself weighs 350 pounds and stands nearly five feet tall—which its creators hope will discourage anyone from messing with it.
—Sam Klebanov, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for discourage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discourage
Verb
-
Keita notes the majority of Africa's population is under 35 years old and millions are unemployed and frustrated with the status quo.—
Emmanuel Akinwotu,
NPR,
2 Oct. 2025
-
He may be frustrated by the lack of basic defensive discipline and shape and Messi may shake his head at the incompetence behind him, but the choices made in roster construction just can’t always be compensated for by the boys from Barcelona.—
The Athletic Staff,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Throughout that spring, American and European officials had been waging a pressure campaign to dissuade Khan from pursuing the Israeli warrants.—
David D. Kirkpatrick,
New Yorker,
5 Oct. 2025
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Initially, Reeves suggested that the pair alternate nights as Estragon and Vladimir, but Lloyd dissuaded them from taking on that challenge.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
While the look of huitlacoche may be intimidating — even off-putting — to some, its distinctive flavor is relatively mild.—
Sara Rosenthal,
Denver Post,
30 Sep. 2025
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While exhibitions are the biggest draw, the site has also welcomed more than 5,000 people to its open days, including 1,600 students from nearby schools who might feel intimidated to step into Chanel’s offices in central Paris.—
Joelle Diderich,
Footwear News,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Choose one that deters all but the most determined squirrels and place it away from your bulb bed.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
2 Oct. 2025
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Some countries have and are considering banning children’s content platforms to deter younger audiences.—
Adam Rumanek,
Rolling Stone,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Lest that sound daunting, the three, who bonded over the summer while workshopping the show with the creative team, don’t seem worried.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
2 Oct. 2025
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While a 12-hour surgery may seem daunting, Arenas put it all in perspective.—
Cathy Kozlowicz,
jsonline.com,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
If the intent was to frighten the population, the move succeeded.—
Hilary Whiteman,
CNN Money,
3 Oct. 2025
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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
Cite this Entry
“Discourage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discourage. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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