as in despair
the state of being discouraged
I tried desperately to avoid discouragement after failing the bar exam twice
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Recent Examples of discouragement
Keep your cool, adjust expectations, and don’t let discouragement bring you down during this early period of the year.
—
Tribune Content Agency, Baltimore Sun, 4 Jan. 2026
Feelings of isolation, frustration, discouragement, anxiety, burnout, and anger are all common manifestations of diabetes distress, Diana Licalzi, RD, a certified diabetes educator and the cofounder of Reversing T2D, tells SELF.
—Beth Krietsch, SELF, 11 Nov. 2025
Labor market discouragement can come from weakness in the overall job market, shifts in industrial composition, or barriers or constraints that affect specific workers.
—Kathryn Anne Edwards, Twin Cities, 27 Oct. 2025
Probably, despite Todd’s discouragement.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for discouragement
Tribune Content Agency, Baltimore Sun, 4 Jan. 2026
Feelings of isolation, frustration, discouragement, anxiety, burnout, and anger are all common manifestations of diabetes distress, Diana Licalzi, RD, a certified diabetes educator and the cofounder of Reversing T2D, tells SELF.
—Beth Krietsch, SELF, 11 Nov. 2025
Labor market discouragement can come from weakness in the overall job market, shifts in industrial composition, or barriers or constraints that affect specific workers.
—Kathryn Anne Edwards, Twin Cities, 27 Oct. 2025
Probably, despite Todd’s discouragement.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for discouragement
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discouragement
Noun
-
That this administration can reasonably be viewed as a criminal enterprise should not be cause for despair.—
James Speyer,
New York Daily News,
18 Feb. 2026
-
There are moments where the album’s tone skews leaden, where Shaw positions us right on the edge of despair.—
Linnie Greene,
Pitchfork,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
So many friends and colleagues have reached out through emails and texts to check in, and share their dismay over what is happening.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Feb. 2026
-
That shock and dismay was even more heavy for Matkom because the Fifth Street School was among his favorite developments.—
Everett Eaton,
jsonline.com,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Discouragement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discouragement. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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