as in despair
the state of being discouraged
I tried desperately to avoid discouragement after failing the bar exam twice
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 discouragement
As the realities of relocating set in, his girlfriend’s enthusiasm quickly turned into doubt and discouragement.
—
Ashley Vega, People.com, 17 July 2025
This is because there’s a lot of woolly thinking out there, combined with apathy, distrust and discouragement.
—Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 23 June 2025
But Wednesday’s Supreme Court ruling on gender-affirming care for transgender youth was the kind of attention many advocates didn’t want and the capper to a month of discouragement.
—Andy Rose, CNN Money, 22 June 2025
Be assured the world will bring more than enough discouragement, rejection, and pain into your child’s life.
—Chris John Amorosino, Hartford Courant, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for discouragement
Ashley Vega, People.com, 17 July 2025
This is because there’s a lot of woolly thinking out there, combined with apathy, distrust and discouragement.
—Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 23 June 2025
But Wednesday’s Supreme Court ruling on gender-affirming care for transgender youth was the kind of attention many advocates didn’t want and the capper to a month of discouragement.
—Andy Rose, CNN Money, 22 June 2025
Be assured the world will bring more than enough discouragement, rejection, and pain into your child’s life.
—Chris John Amorosino, Hartford Courant, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for discouragement
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discouragement
Noun
-
Much of the country was in despair then as the Great Recession rolled on.—
John Dorfman,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Columnist Nancy Armour knows all about Bears despair.—
Chris Bumbaca,
USA Today,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Moments after it was confirmed that Charlie Kirk died from a gunshot wound during a college event Wednesday in Utah, several Arkansas political leaders went to social media to express their dismay over the conservative activist's death.—
Ella McCarthy,
Arkansas Online,
10 Sep. 2025
-
To the dismay of party insiders, Anderson slipped through the 1994 Republican primary to win the GOP nomination for state attorney general.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Discouragement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discouragement. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share