discouraged 1 of 2

Definition of discouragednext

discouraged

2 of 2

verb

past tense of discourage

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of discouraged
Adjective
According to Giasomo, Jordan Lee constantly encourages him to strike up conversations with strangers — especially children with disabilities who may feel isolated or discouraged. Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 29 May 2026 Camping in an open setting during a thunderstorm is strongly discouraged. Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 28 May 2026 The rate of underemployment is low, and the rate of labor-force participation is high, meaning that there’s no pool of discouraged workers lurking behind the marquee jobs statistics. Annie Lowrey, The Atlantic, 24 May 2026 A student can understand the answer and still feel too discouraged to keep going. Regan Peng, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026 In no case would there be any wholesale eviction of tenants, and speculation was actively discouraged. Eric Duvall, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2026 Between drought and extreme weather, some Colorado residents may be feeling a little discouraged from planting in the Rockies this summer. Michael Abeyta, CBS News, 7 May 2026 Camping in an open setting during a thunderstorm is strongly discouraged. Southern California Weather Report, Daily News, 4 May 2026 Camping in an open setting during a thunderstorm is strongly discouraged. Southern California Weather Report, Oc Register, 3 May 2026
Verb
At first it was allowed, then discouraged, then more firmly refused. Vogue, 1 June 2026 Its journal was essentially an academic publication, and images were discouraged. Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 1 June 2026 The group encouraged awareness and emotional discipline, discouraged alcohol and drugs, and demanded celibacy in its early years. Jp Mangalindan, Time, 1 June 2026 Already discouraged developers will not exactly be lured back by the new tenant protections and expanded rent-stabilization laws that Lewis George is proposing. Idrees Kahloon, The Atlantic, 1 June 2026 Topazio created The Rosin Box Project in 2018, after her mentors and teachers discouraged a career in the arts. Marcia Luttrell, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 May 2026 Many are discouraged by a lack of confidence in their abilities, limited exposure to what the field actually involves, and little awareness of the range of careers cybersecurity offers. Tarika Barrett, Fortune, 29 May 2026 The incident prompted Knight to publicly come out as gay, later telling EW that showrunner Shonda Rhimes discouraged him from doing so (Rhimes denied this). Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 29 May 2026 City staff discouraged a Fifth Avenue study due to uncertainty surrounding the proposed Building Up Illinois Developments (BUILD) Act, a set of legislative initiatives that — if passed by the General Assembly — would change local zoning laws. Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 26 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discouraged
Adjective
  • There is, however, room for questions about where the line between prohibited and acceptable political involvement will fall in practice.
    BrieAnna J. Frank, USA Today, 11 July 2025
  • The list of prohibited and restricted items, as found on the CBP website, includes alcohol, biological materials, firearms, food and produce such as fruits and vegetables, soil, wildlife, fish, and gold, among other items.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • And whose heart didn’t swell with pride when the disheartened Malinin immediately pulled himself together to congratulate Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan, who skated away with the top honors?
    Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 20 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • While many fans have questioned the sincerity of the effort that A’s owner John Fisher and MLB made to keep the A’s in Oakland, MLB officials also grew frustrated by the process.
    Evan Drellich, New York Times, 28 May 2026
  • As Marcus spent more time mentoring his leading employees, their temperament shifted from frustrated to inspired, stirring more change in the workforce than Marcus ever could have achieved alone.
    Janine Schindler, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
Verb
  • Perhaps a police report search as to any candidate filing for the House or Senate should be made part of their filing, any expense credited toward their filing fee, so that those with criminal history may be dissuaded.
    Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
  • In response, while the DFL already subsidises clubs willing to tour internationally, many teams — dissuaded by the cost and the level of competition in major markets — have been reluctant to take up that offer.
    Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • In a discussion that Padilla started about a secret Groundlings show for gross-out comedy, Palmer summoned the ancient name of one of the forbidden Millennial texts.
    Joe Reid, Vulture, 29 May 2026
  • Less than an hour’s drive from the holiday markets, on the way to Salla and its forbidden frontier, hundreds of Finnish soldiers are training to repel any future Russian invasion.
    Liam Denning, Bloomberg, 12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • The event was so controlled that security blocked our phone cameras to stop unauthorized pictures of the 550,000-euro EV, which so disappointed investors that the company's stock fell 8% the next day.
    Charlotte Reed, CNBC, 29 May 2026
  • Tickets sell out weeks in advance during busy periods, leaving visitors who hoped to decide on arrival disappointed.
    David Nikel, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
Verb
  • The community wasn’t daunted by the warmth of the day, with crowds lining the streets to watch as floats, marching bands, equestrian groups, community organizations and more marched past, celebrating San Juan Capistrano and the area’s history.
    Heather McRea, Oc Register, 21 Mar. 2026
  • She was not daunted by this fact.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The idea of enduring the ingredient’s acclimation phase, which can result in flaking, redness, and dryness as skin gets used to its power, has deterred me.
    Sophie Wirt, InStyle, 29 May 2026
  • Putlak said her group will not be deterred.
    Kristi Miller, Twin Cities, 22 May 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Discouraged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discouraged. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on discouraged

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster