as in disheartening
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as in discouraging
to lessen the courage or confidence of
dispirited by the overwhelming amount of information needed to write the report
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Recent Examples of dispiriting
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
Let’s establish all of that up front after the Carolina Panthers’ dispiriting, 20-3 exhibition loss at Houston Saturday.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 17 Aug. 2025
Whether driven by social apathy or artistic passion, James—effortlessly played by O’Connor with hangdog elegance—registers as a compelling update of the ’70s American male loner archetype for another dispiriting, directionless time.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2025
Adam Grosbard, Oc Register, 11 Oct. 2025
The Dolphins took an all-time dispiriting L in their 2025 opener to the Indianapolis Colts, the kind that prompts a players-only meeting after Week 1.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
There is no question that the study of history and its conflicts, injustices and exclusions can be dispiriting.
—Annie Polland, Time, 25 Sep. 2025
The Giants have dropped two division games to start their season — first a dispiriting 21-6 loss to the Washington Commanders followed by a 40-37 heartbreaker to the Dallas Cowboys in overtime.
—Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 18 Sep. 2025
After Week 1, a dispiriting 20-13 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, those hopes had to be reeled in.
—Jon Vankin, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
The endgame here of every state except maybe a few purple ones having representatives from only one party is really dispiriting — this clearly is not what the Congressional system was set up to be.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2025
Similar condos are now being built from the Upper West Side (handsome) to Greenpoint (dispiriting).
—Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 11 Aug. 2025
In this excerpt, adapted from Seller’s memoir, Theater Kid (out on May 6 from Simon & Schuster), the producer lays out the musical’s long road from dispiriting workshop to its simultaneously triumphant and tragic first preview performance.
—Jeffrey Seller, Vulture, 11 Apr. 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
Let’s establish all of that up front after the Carolina Panthers’ dispiriting, 20-3 exhibition loss at Houston Saturday.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 17 Aug. 2025
Whether driven by social apathy or artistic passion, James—effortlessly played by O’Connor with hangdog elegance—registers as a compelling update of the ’70s American male loner archetype for another dispiriting, directionless time.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2025
Verb
The Rams want to start their nine-day road trip – to the East Coast and then London – with a victory, as well as bounce back from last week’s dispiriting loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
—Adam Grosbard, Oc Register, 11 Oct. 2025
The Dolphins took an all-time dispiriting L in their 2025 opener to the Indianapolis Colts, the kind that prompts a players-only meeting after Week 1.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
There is no question that the study of history and its conflicts, injustices and exclusions can be dispiriting.
—Annie Polland, Time, 25 Sep. 2025
The Giants have dropped two division games to start their season — first a dispiriting 21-6 loss to the Washington Commanders followed by a 40-37 heartbreaker to the Dallas Cowboys in overtime.
—Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 18 Sep. 2025
After Week 1, a dispiriting 20-13 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, those hopes had to be reeled in.
—Jon Vankin, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
The endgame here of every state except maybe a few purple ones having representatives from only one party is really dispiriting — this clearly is not what the Congressional system was set up to be.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2025
Similar condos are now being built from the Upper West Side (handsome) to Greenpoint (dispiriting).
—Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 11 Aug. 2025
In this excerpt, adapted from Seller’s memoir, Theater Kid (out on May 6 from Simon & Schuster), the producer lays out the musical’s long road from dispiriting workshop to its simultaneously triumphant and tragic first preview performance.
—Jeffrey Seller, Vulture, 11 Apr. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dispiriting
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
Verb
-
But a September report from SANDAG’s internal auditor was discouraging.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Nov. 2025
-
The initiative also coincides with the $100,000 H-1B application fee, introduced September 21, two days after the DOL announcement—a White House move aimed at discouraging bulk filings by staffing and outsourcing firms.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Oct. 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
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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
-
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
-
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
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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
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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
“Dispiriting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dispiriting. Accessed 16 Nov. 2025.
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