as in to discourage
to lessen the courage or confidence of
we were disheartened by the news that our grandmother was seriously ill
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Recent Examples of dishearten
As for the media coverage surrounding his death, the false narratives are disheartening and disrespectful to the legacy of a wonderful man.
—
Megan Cartwright, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Nov. 2025
Arsenal go into the break disappointed, but not disheartened.
—James McNicholas, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
Add a breast cancer diagnosis—with its potential surgeries, scars and treatment side effects—and the pressure to conform to outdated beauty standards can feel disheartening.
—Tabitha Britt, Flow Space, 30 Oct. 2025
Anta, the son of Cuban and Colombian immigrants, says he's disheartened by the images.
—NPR, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dishearten
Megan Cartwright, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Nov. 2025
Arsenal go into the break disappointed, but not disheartened.
—James McNicholas, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
Add a breast cancer diagnosis—with its potential surgeries, scars and treatment side effects—and the pressure to conform to outdated beauty standards can feel disheartening.
—Tabitha Britt, Flow Space, 30 Oct. 2025
Anta, the son of Cuban and Colombian immigrants, says he's disheartened by the images.
—NPR, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dishearten
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dishearten
Verb
-
Teachers at Flushing High School argue that the school’s grading policy discourages students who put in consistent effort.—
Center Square,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Jan. 2026
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He was widely discouraged from a career in cartoons, and after a series of rejections, majored in economics.—
People Staff,
PEOPLE,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Many shoppers have grown frustrated with rising luxury prices and perceived declines in quality, while others increasingly buy directly from brands rather than through department stores.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
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That plan, which surely won’t excite a fanbase already frustrated with a quiet offseason, would also have to come with a right-handed platoon bat, as Domínguez is a switch-hitter who is better from the left side.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
14 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dishearten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dishearten. Accessed 21 Jan. 2026.
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