1
as in frustrates
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 dissuades
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 discourages
Google discourages websites from trying to game AI search results, saying that the surest way to get mentioned by AI is to create content that is genuinely useful to humans.
—
Will Oremus, The Atlantic, 10 June 2026
Larger birds require a larger platform and entrance hole, while smaller birds are better protected with a small entrance hole that discourages other birds from entering.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 10 June 2026
Hot water, or water with a few drops of essential oil, like mint or citrus, discourages survivors from returning.
—Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 10 June 2026
The company’s claim is that MST modifies the mechanical stress state of the silicon surface in a way that discourages dislocation nucleation and propagation during the subsequent GaN growth steps.
—Aditya Jadhav, Interesting Engineering, 8 June 2026
That federal statute emphasizes rehabilitation over punishment for juvenile defendants, and as such strongly discourages pretrial detention for minors or conditioning their release on the posting of bail.
—Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 27 May 2026
Rent control short-circuits this process and discourages renovation and investment.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 27 May 2026
The American Academy of Pediatrics discourages caffeine for kids under 12, and suggests a limit of 100 milligrams per day for teenagers.
—Rachel Hale, USA Today, 20 May 2026
Critics say that using it distorts the truth of a performance, but supporters believe that the tech discourages disruptions.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2026
Will Oremus, The Atlantic, 10 June 2026
Larger birds require a larger platform and entrance hole, while smaller birds are better protected with a small entrance hole that discourages other birds from entering.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 10 June 2026
Hot water, or water with a few drops of essential oil, like mint or citrus, discourages survivors from returning.
—Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 10 June 2026
The company’s claim is that MST modifies the mechanical stress state of the silicon surface in a way that discourages dislocation nucleation and propagation during the subsequent GaN growth steps.
—Aditya Jadhav, Interesting Engineering, 8 June 2026
That federal statute emphasizes rehabilitation over punishment for juvenile defendants, and as such strongly discourages pretrial detention for minors or conditioning their release on the posting of bail.
—Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 27 May 2026
Rent control short-circuits this process and discourages renovation and investment.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 27 May 2026
The American Academy of Pediatrics discourages caffeine for kids under 12, and suggests a limit of 100 milligrams per day for teenagers.
—Rachel Hale, USA Today, 20 May 2026
Critics say that using it distorts the truth of a performance, but supporters believe that the tech discourages disruptions.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discourages
Verb
-
What frustrates me is when the CTA isn’t there.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
9 June 2026
-
Part of what fascinates and frustrates as regards Ginsberg is that for all of those thick anthologies, propriety forces me to concede that many of the poems simply aren’t that good.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
But if a dentist dissuades you from getting one, Nguyen said, that’s another red flag.—
The New York Times News Service Syndicate,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 May 2026
-
The boldest part of Astra Nord’s strategy is its intention to begin building the 213-foot Neon on spec, in a market where spiking construction costs and uncertain demand dissuades many shipyards from the same.—
Dea Jusufi,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
Any passenger who assaults, threatens, intimidates or interferes with airline crew members can lead to penalties of up to $43,658 per violation, according to the FAA.—
Cindy Von Quednow,
CNN Money,
3 May 2026
-
The aura of the classical guitar intimidates me.—
Peter Wayne Moe,
Longreads,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The green leaves are splotched with white and bumpy on the upper side, and the stems are hairy, which deters deer.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
4 June 2026
-
The herb’s fragrance confuses and deters pests from eating your peppers.—
Sheryl Geerts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Discourages.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discourages. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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