disheartening 1 of 2

disheartening

2 of 2

verb

present participle of dishearten

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 disheartening
Adjective
Still, during a summer when the Tigers are trying to resuscitate their season after a disheartening May, process creates only so much comfort. Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 25 June 2026 Though 2025 was a disappointing five-loss campaign that opened with a disheartening 34-7 defeat at USF and ended in similar fashion (38-10) against Washington in the LA Bowl, Spencer Danielson’s Broncos nonetheless won another Mountain West title. Tom Layberger, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026 Drying Your Nails At Home There is nothing more disheartening than taking time to paint your nails at home only to smudge them minutes later. Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 27 May 2026 And now this disheartening accounting error. Joe Soucheray, Twin Cities, 25 Apr. 2026 Sure, the Longhorns (21-15, 9-9) endured an up-and-down regular season and suffered a disheartening loss to Ole Miss in the first round of the SEC Tournament. Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 31 Mar. 2026 The crocodile’s rare appearance represented a disheartening degradation but a hopeful sign of what the Niger Delta, if salvaged, can still become — an eco-diverse paradise akin to the Amazon or Costa Rica, that feeds its populace and attracts foreign visitors wanting to witness nature’s glory. Noo Saro-Wiwa, The Dial, 24 Mar. 2026 With the next five against the Lakers, Rockets, Spurs, Cavaliers and Cavaliers, there will be the opportunity for statement wins to follow, after the disheartening losses to the Magic and Hornets. Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 18 Mar. 2026 The disheartening shift has continued since Katherine, whose name CNN agreed to change to protect her privacy, gave birth to her daughter. Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 9 Mar. 2026
Verb
Gomez said the search has been disheartening, with their hopes of staying in the city of Hammond beginning to wane. Anna Ortiz, Chicago Tribune, 13 June 2026 The trio also acknowledged how demoralizing and disheartening the recent spate of firings, and the lack of explanation for them, has been. Marlow Stern, Variety, 11 June 2026 The experience was disheartening. Rustin Dodd, New York Times, 2 June 2026 And Saturday’s walkoff loss to the Rangers was especially disheartening. Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 31 May 2026 Kantor said the data is disheartening. Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 28 Apr. 2026 While the unknown status is disheartening, Nepola recalls how the series, first brought to the air in 2011, was once thought to be gone for good only to be resurrected by Peacock in 2021. Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 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 Prior to Tuesday night’s disheartening 136-106 road loss to the Charlotte Hornets, Spoelstra was asked about his team’s unique reliance on zone defense. Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 18 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disheartening
Adjective
  • Still, this was a discouraging result for anyone wearing yellow in Kansas City.
    Kellis Robinett, Kansas City Star, 21 June 2026
  • The Chicago Blackhawks needed plenty after a discouraging 2024-25 season.
    Kalen Lumpkins, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2026
Verb
  • The documentary’s contradiction is right there, enthralling us with the wild achievements Potter pulled off and frustrating us with his bombast, leading us to ponder whether, as The Dark Wizard suggests, either could exist without the other.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 7 May 2026
  • Mack and the Chargers’ defense pressured quarterbacks Jalen Hurts of the Eagles and Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs, frustrating them and keeping them out of their comfort zones.
    Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 20 Dec. 2025
Adjective
  • In the finale, Matthew’s scenes with K Callan, who plays Ruth, are really disconcerting.
    Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 18 June 2026
  • Bari Weiss directed the housecleaning at the newsmagazine last week, and Nick Bilton signed the letter telling Scott Pelley he was fired on Tuesday night, but the Paramount CEO owns the decisions and the disconcerting fallout.
    Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 3 June 2026
Adjective
  • Some recent comments from longtime Voicers have been especially dismaying.
    Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 4 June 2026
  • And in the worst cases — a scenario that plays out with dismaying regularity — the executive who championed the project has moved on to another job entirely.
    George Heller, HollywoodReporter, 6 May 2026
Adjective
  • The early goal from Germany was a bit demoralizing for the South American team, but Nilson Angulo was able to shake it off with a beautiful shot in the ninth minute to equalize.
    Andrew Greif, NBC news, 26 June 2026
  • The trio also acknowledged how demoralizing and disheartening the recent spate of firings, and the lack of explanation for them, has been.
    Marlow Stern, Variety, 11 June 2026
Adjective
  • The exits of the two men, who both identify as gay, will also mark a dispiriting step backward for LGBTQ+ representation in the C‑suite.
    Phil Wahba, Fortune, 20 June 2026
  • And so that’s the dispiriting, disquieting aspect of the story.
    Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • The greater the distance, the more daunting the challenge.
    Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 22 June 2026
  • College graduates face a daunting job market.
    Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 19 June 2026
Adjective
  • Such hallucinatory citations are, according to judges and lawyers, troubling at a variety of levels, including for their threat to the integrity of the judicial system.
    Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 26 June 2026
  • In the most troubling times and with his country under attack, Max quickly became a beloved and integral part of the ABC News team, reporting at the heart of one of the most devastating wars in modern history.
    Guy Davies, ABC News, 25 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Disheartening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disheartening. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.

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