as in discouraging
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
as in frustrating
to lessen the courage or confidence of
we were disheartened by the news that our grandmother was seriously ill
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 disheartening
Abby McCloskey, Twin Cities, 29 Oct. 2025
At the end of the day, the result was a bit disheartening.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 14 Sep. 2025
Seeing that textbook go to waste felt very disheartening.
—Sami Khan, Mercury News, 9 Sep. 2025
Tabitha Britt, Flow Space, 30 Oct. 2025
To see a government shut down on the heels of that progress is disheartening, Explore Asheville CEO Vic Isley said.
—Briah Lumpkins, Charlotte Observer, 3 Oct. 2025
Though disheartening, its abrupt cancellation wasn’t uncommon, especially for television shows that featured Black talent.
—Essence, 18 Sep. 2025
Fear of failure Failure can be disheartening, embarrassing and often downright devastating — especially in entrepreneurship, when your reputation and finances could be on the line.
—Ashton Jackson, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2025
Everyone is responsible for this disappointing, disheartening 0-2 start the Dolphins are on, and that includes the media that’s covering the team.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 15 Sep. 2025
Expert breaks down 'disheartening' normalization of political violence.
—FOXNews.com, 12 Sep. 2025
The Dilemma for Women Leaders For women in leadership, this moment can feel particularly disheartening.
—C200, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Headwinds can be disheartening, but lawmakers don’t easily give up.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
For those dealing with the disheartening struggles of infertility, this is good news.
—Abby McCloskey, Twin Cities, 29 Oct. 2025
At the end of the day, the result was a bit disheartening.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 14 Sep. 2025
Seeing that textbook go to waste felt very disheartening.
—Sami Khan, Mercury News, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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a breast cancer diagnosis—with its potential surgeries, scars and treatment side effects—and the pressure to conform to outdated beauty standards can feel disheartening.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
To see a government shut down on the heels of that progress is disheartening, Explore Asheville CEO Vic Isley said.
—Briah Lumpkins, Charlotte Observer, 3 Oct. 2025
Though disheartening, its abrupt cancellation wasn’t uncommon, especially for television shows that featured Black talent.
—Essence, 18 Sep. 2025
Fear of failure Failure can be disheartening, embarrassing and often downright devastating — especially in entrepreneurship, when your reputation and finances could be on the line.
—Ashton Jackson, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2025
Everyone is responsible for this disappointing, disheartening 0-2 start the Dolphins are on, and that includes the media that’s covering the team.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 15 Sep. 2025
Expert breaks down 'disheartening' normalization of political violence.
—FOXNews.com, 12 Sep. 2025
The Dilemma for Women Leaders For women in leadership, this moment can feel particularly disheartening.
—C200, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Headwinds can be disheartening, but lawmakers don’t easily give up.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 4 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disheartening
Adjective
-
If the gap between self and fitfluencer seems too wide, comparisons become discouraging, not motivating.—
Abby Frank,
The Conversation,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Nothing creates a discouraging organizational structure more than uncertainty.—
Josh Browning,
Big Think,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Perhaps as disconcerting as anything is the lack of circumstances that would create such confusion.—
Alec Lewis,
New York Times,
10 Nov. 2025
-
The disconcerting scene offers a glimpse of what actually happened to Will while he was trapped for most of Season 1 and suggests that Will may still be impacted by whatever Vecna put inside him at the beginning of the story.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
On top of this dismaying thought comes the realization that the AI is available 24x7 and at a low cost or perhaps even free.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
-
But the drum sound wasn’t nearly as dismaying as the studio’s piano, which kept slipping out of tune.—
Peter Ames Carlin,
Rolling Stone,
13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Despite suffering demoralizing losses in 2024 and grappling with persistently low approval ratings, Democrats have reasons to be optimistic about the 2026 cycle.—
Kevin Breuninger,Dan Mangan,
CNBC,
4 Nov. 2025
-
The Jays were able to put their demoralizing, 18-inning loss the night before behind them as the bats came back to life.—
Kendall Capps,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Yes, that was a dispiriting afternoon, but most impartial observers would agree Farke’s side were competitive, if blunt at Turf Moor.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Some folks harbor a dispiriting conviction that governments are unable to handle the simplest task.—
Teri Sforza,
Oc Register,
22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
At first, this felt like a daunting task.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Perhaps the most daunting is that legislation passed after the 2008 financial crisis explicitly limits most regulated mortgages to a term of 30 years at the maximum.—
Andrea Riquier,
USA Today,
9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
These are troubling developments, but CELAC and EU nations are committed and have the capacity to put things right.—
Gustavo Petro,
Time,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Majumdar lavishes her characters with careful attention, and so the reader comes to regard their most troubling actions as justified, if not inevitable.—
Tope Folarin,
The Atlantic,
8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
There’s nothing more troublesome than a government that finds no problem too small to care about — and governments have a terrible track record for solving large ones.—
Steven Greenhut,
Oc Register,
7 Nov. 2025
-
However, replacing 2/3 of your outfield in one offseason can be troublesome at times.—
Drew VonScio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Disheartening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disheartening. Accessed 18 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share