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
Spoelstra was most disheartened by the defense.
—
Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 24 Mar. 2026
If that is what our cops are hearing and no one steps up to say otherwise, that can be disheartening.
—Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 20 Mar. 2026
Still, hearing that it was recommended was disheartening for Laird.
—Kerry Breen, CBS News, 14 Mar. 2026
Listening to naysayers in Congress twist themselves into pretzels condemning the ayatollah and his brutal repressive regime, but offering no solutions whatsoever, has been disheartening.
—Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 8 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dishearten
Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 24 Mar. 2026
If that is what our cops are hearing and no one steps up to say otherwise, that can be disheartening.
—Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 20 Mar. 2026
Still, hearing that it was recommended was disheartening for Laird.
—Kerry Breen, CBS News, 14 Mar. 2026
Listening to naysayers in Congress twist themselves into pretzels condemning the ayatollah and his brutal repressive regime, but offering no solutions whatsoever, has been disheartening.
—Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 8 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dishearten
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dishearten
Verb
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Formulate federal policies that discourage California lawmakers from burdening its citizens.—
Linh Tat,
Oc Register,
4 May 2026
-
Reincke worries the hype about AI replacing radiologists entirely may discourage medical students.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
4 May 2026
Verb
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The letter was about a 50-year-old who was frustrated that a 70-year-old friend didn’t pick up the phone when called.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
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Bianco grew visibly frustrated several times over the debate’s format and his opponents’ answers.—
Seema Mehta,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dishearten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dishearten. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
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