as in discouraging
to lessen the courage or confidence of
dispirited by the overwhelming amount of information needed to write the report
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in disheartening
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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 dispiriting
Jeffrey Seller, Vulture, 11 Apr. 2025
One particularly dispiriting departure is that of Peter Marks, the longtime leader of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.
—Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 2 Apr. 2025
One of the very depressing and dispiriting aspects of this is that Congress is not standing up for its prerogatives.
—Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2025
The outcome ended what had been a dispiriting history for Maryland (25-7).
—Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 15 Mar. 2025
If blowout losses and dispiriting performances characterized the 2023-24 Sharks season, the team’s 2024-25 season has been pockmarked by heartbreak, with an almost uncanny ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
—Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2025
The lengthy injury report is really dispiriting, with Dallas also down Daniel Gafford, Dereck Lively II and midseason acquisition Caleb Martin.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 23 Feb. 2025
Who better, then, to pry Eve loose than a rangy, rakish music journalist (Benjamin Bratt) whose game includes unironic hat-wearing and — like a dispiriting number of men in his age bracket — the unembarrassed deployment of Stephen Stills lyrics?
—Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2025
The Vols look to avenge last month’s dispiriting loss in Knoxville; the Wildcats can earn a statement sweep of a respected team.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 11 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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
One particularly dispiriting departure is that of Peter Marks, the longtime leader of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.
—Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 2 Apr. 2025
One of the very depressing and dispiriting aspects of this is that Congress is not standing up for its prerogatives.
—Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2025
The outcome ended what had been a dispiriting history for Maryland (25-7).
—Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 15 Mar. 2025
If blowout losses and dispiriting performances characterized the 2023-24 Sharks season, the team’s 2024-25 season has been pockmarked by heartbreak, with an almost uncanny ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
—Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2025
The lengthy injury report is really dispiriting, with Dallas also down Daniel Gafford, Dereck Lively II and midseason acquisition Caleb Martin.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 23 Feb. 2025
Who better, then, to pry Eve loose than a rangy, rakish music journalist (Benjamin Bratt) whose game includes unironic hat-wearing and — like a dispiriting number of men in his age bracket — the unembarrassed deployment of Stephen Stills lyrics?
—Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2025
The Vols look to avenge last month’s dispiriting loss in Knoxville; the Wildcats can earn a statement sweep of a respected team.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 11 Feb. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dispiriting
Verb
-
Good air circulation will allow leaves and stems to dry out, discouraging disease.—
Beth Botts,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Apr. 2025
-
Actions by officials in the two countries are also discouraging Canadian tourists from looking south.—
Skyler Swisher,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
And developers who take on the spatial complexities of working with old architecture face a dismaying array of bureaucratic and financial challenges.—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
27 June 2025
-
And yet the industry is beset by a dismaying trend: More and more, people are watching movies on their laptops, tablets, and smartphones.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
21 Feb. 2014
Adjective
-
Even finding a cancellation option on a merchant’s website can be daunting.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
11 July 2025
-
Uniform deployment is critical for consistency, yet the logistical challenges of supporting AI at this scale can be daunting.—
Ricardo Tavares,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
Adjective
-
The lack of transparency is troubling for computer scientist Talia Ringer, a professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who earlier in the week criticized the company’s handling of the technology’s antisemitic outbursts.—
Matt O’Brien,
Los Angeles Times,
12 July 2025
-
Mixed Reactions While some universities criticize the procedure and announce retractions, others have attempted to justify the practice, revealing a troubling lack of consensus on AI ethics in academia.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
12 July 2025
Adjective
-
Otherwise, the 27-year-old’s immeasurable talent has been enough to compensate for the shortcomings of Red Bull’s car, which has proven troublesome since midway through last season.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
10 July 2025
-
Work will be done to improve a troublesome railroad crossing for motorists in the center of Mt. Juliet for the second time in about four years.—
Andy Humbles,
The Tennessean,
9 July 2025
Adjective
-
The pit and toy poodle mix, adopted from a rescue ranch called The Barking Lot outside San Diego, found the sudden arrival of towering boxes and disappearing furniture deeply unsettling.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 July 2025
-
The decision has left some in an unsettling state of limbo.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
3 July 2025
Adjective
-
Scientists have found a new way to cheat the system – which is both ingenious and disturbing.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
12 July 2025
-
Pisciotta alleged that West’s disturbing behavior did not end after she was terminated at Yeezy.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 July 2025
Adjective
-
This is especially worrisome since the Tesla launched its Robotaxi service less than two weeks ago on June 22.—
Charles Singh,
USA Today,
4 July 2025
-
Baird analyst Jonathan Komp said in a note last week that some of the bearish sentiment on Wolverine stock is overdone, especially in light of its strong first-quarter results that proved its exposure to tariffs is perhaps not as worrisome as previously feared.—
Brian Evans,
CNBC,
1 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dispiriting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dispiriting. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share